I Am Not Worthy
by Little-Vampire Della
Summary: Damon is stuck look after his brother Stefan. With Stefan comes Elena-a girl who doppelganger of his ex, an ex that hurt him. But Damon has an attachment to Elena; one he doesn't understand. When is friend Alaric bring his niece-in-law to Mystic Fall, she may just hold the answers, or bring him many more question.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi this is a new story that I am going to do along with IFMWIWL. This Bella will be a little different, and has some past events and history that doesn't match Twilight. For now this will be told from Damon point of view. You will hear from Bella but will not be for some time, as I would like to keep some information about her hush hush.**

 **Ages.**

 **Damon 24/176**

 **Bella 17**

 **Stefan 17/ 169**

 **Elena 18**

 **Bonnie 18**

 **Caroline 18**

 **Jeremy 17**

 **Jenna 28**

 **Alaric 36**

 **Pairing**

 **Damon/Bella**

 **Stefan/ Elena**

 **Alaric/ Jenna**

 **I Am Not worthy!**

 **Summary.** Damon is stuck look after his brother Stefan. With Stefan comes Elena- a girl who doppelganger of his ex, an ex that hurt him. But Damon has an attachment to Elena; one he doesn't understand. When is friend Alaric bring his niece-in-law to Mystic Fall, she may just hold the answers, or bring him many more question.

 **All normal disclaimers apply. All thing Twilight and Vampire Diaries belong to their owners. No copyright is meant**.

 **Thanks goes out to kselzer for Beta this for me.**

 **Chapter 1**

What is the meaning of life? Fuck if I know-all I have ever learned about life-over my many years of being alive- is that it- sucks! My name is Damon Francesco Salvatore I was born on the October 30th of 1839. Back then life was very different from what it is now. It was simpler, calmer. Back then people knew how to be a part of a community; they worked and helped each other. Now everyone seems to be on the go, needed to get some place never taking a moment to stop and just look, look at the people around them.

Don't get me wrong life back then was hard. When we worked we work, and everyone in the family was expected to help out, and help out others in the community; more so my family.

My father's grand-father was one of the first families to settle here in Mystic Falls. He along with several other families came to be known as the town's founders. This gave them and the other founder's responsibilities, but they also had centre rights, rights that are now enable me to keep my brother-Stefan and me safe.

My baby brother Stefan Antonio was born in November 4, 1846. I was seven at the time I doted on him. When our mother died in 1858 my love and need to protect him increased. However our father, who hated me for whatever reason, made it so much harder for me to do that.

My father always found a way to make me feel like I was failing him, my deceased mother, and my brother. I tried for years to feel worthy of him; I even joined the army.

Even now after all this time, I still can't talk about what I saw, did, when I was Confederate Lieutenant in the American Civil War. When I came home I found-at that time-who I thought was the love of my life.

Katherine Pierce appeared to be a sweet eighteen year old. She had such confidence in everything that I just flocked to her; as did a lot of men.

After months of me chasing her she began return the attention. I was already-or at least I thought I was- deeply in love with her. To find out that it was all in order to make Stefan jealous almost killed me. Even when she got him she didn't let me go. By that time she found she had a use for both of us.

It was just the start of the summer dance, that I found out Katherine was a vampire. But that didn't change how I felt about her. Stefan found out a few months later but he was afraid and went to our father; who in turn plotted to get rid of Katherine.

Stefan and I both tried in vain to help her and ended up being killed by our father. On the early morning of September 25, 1864, Stefan and I woke to the transition. All that was needed to complete the transition was fresh blood. I, at that time, believed that Katherine was dead, and wanted to die too.

Stefan made the mistake of going home-he wanted to say goodbye to our father. That, as you can imagine, didn't go well and he ended up feeding upon him. He must have then thought 'I don't want to live alone, I know what I will do I will get my brother to feed too.' Since that day I began my life as a vampire!

Stefan didn't take to his new life well and went on a killing frenzy. He killed in such a way that he was more commonly known in the vampire world as the Ripper. During those years I chased, cleaned and stopped others from killing him-if anyone was going to kill him, it would be me. I found out that Katherine was alive, but trapped in a tomb.

By this time Stefan was cured and on the Bambi diet. That gave my life a new mission. But, to break the barrier on the tomb it needed to be done with the right people on a certain day, where the planets had to been inline. This line only happened every fifty to sixty years. As I had some time to kill, I spent it by tormenting my little brother, having random sex with girls, and basically doing what I wanted. There has been a time I felt alone, need of some company, but find people, vampires and I just don't get along. After some time, and me being me, they find that I am not worthy of them. That makes them feel the need to change me, which pisses me off, and I become an even bigger dick, and then they just stay disappointed.

I arrived in my home town in August; even brought some college girl with me and I was ready to party. Only, I find my brother, with who I thought was Katherine, fucking in his old room.

I just managed to stop myself from killing them and luckily I did as it wasn't Katherine but her doppelganger Elena.

Still feeling pissed off I started to mess with Stefan-what can I say it is a fun way to pass my time. But, I have become a somewhat friend to Elena.

On the day that marked 152 years of becoming a vampire, more importantly Katherine's imprisonment, I managed to get the tomb open, only to find she wasn't there; she was never trapped. She had been free the whole time; I know deep down she knew where I was and just didn't give a rat's ass.

It has been two weeks, but I am still in Mystic Falls. I have nothing to do so I am bored out of my skull.

I tap my finger on the bar getting the attention of the sexy bar maid. "Bourbon," I husk out to her, making her chuckle lightly.

I watch, as she turns, my eyes drop to her ass that is moving from side to side. As she turns back around my eyes slowly move up her body. As if on cue her heart skips a beat and starts to race. Going by the smell coming from her, I would say she is turned on.

"Your Bourbon Sir," she says in what she must think is a sexy voice. She leans a little forward giving me a great view of her tits.

"What time do you finish at?" I ask, feeling the need for some loving, but more importantly a feed.

"Eleven," she replies batting her eyes at me.

"Damon"

 _Great Saint Stef is here to try and ruin my fun._

"Come and find me, and I'll give you a night to remember," I husk to the girl, ignoring Stefan.

"Damon," Stefan grits as the girl chuckles nodding her head. I give her a wink as she moves away.

"Damon," my name this time is a little softer and coming from a female.

"What?" I hiss and I turn to see Elena and Stefan both frowning at me.

"We need to talk!" Stefan says crossing his arms over his chest.

"About what?" I ask downing my drink. There is just something about Stefan and his overbearing girlfriend which makes me want to drink.

"Family stuff," he hisses to me.

"Nah, I don't feel like talking about family." I have to hold back my chuckle over the fact the vein on his forehead looks ready to burst.

"Please Damon," Elena says sweetly as she places her hand on mine. Her large doe eyes look into my eyes, pleading with me. There is a part of me that wants to say fuck off; but for some reason my heart seems somewhat attached to this girl. Not in a romantic way-thank god, who besides Stefan would want to date their ex's doppelganger? But sadly for me there is something holding I back from hurting her; I can't even seem to let others hurt her.

I have been staying clear of Elena since I didn't find Katherine in the tomb. I have been afraid that my anger over the spiteful bitch would be taken out on Elena. But whatever that small piece of my heart is, it has been keeping my anger low key with her.

This whole thing has me unnerved, but my behaviour has Stefan convinced I am also in love with Elena like he is; making him frightful that I may steal her away like he did with Katherine-the evil spiteful bitch. If she was in the tomb I would now gladly allow Stefan to keep her all to himself.

But, in saying that it was not finding her in the tomb giving me back my freedom. It also helped get some space; I saw I was unhealthily obsessed with Katherine. My father, who did not want her to date me, and the fact she was the first girl that I had to really try with all to my want to win her heart. I have a feeling if it was me she picked, we wouldn't have lasted anyway. I am destined to be a loner; that's not so bad. After all I will get to make love with different women, and that just what I am planning on doing.

I get up and even add a small sigh: I may as well act the part of the love sick vampire. "Fine," I mumble making Elena grin, as Stefan hardens his stance.

I give the barmaid one last look, Sweet Jesus look at what I am giving up, just to wind my brother up. I follow Stefan and Elena out to my car to drive to the boarding house.

I pull up and use my vampire speed to enter my home. "We" I cut Stefan off by holding up my finger singling him to wait. "Damon," I sigh but I hold up my finger again; I get a drink and then make myself comfortable on my chair.

"You can now talk."

"Damon," Stefan yells out as if he is disciplining me. I raise my eyebrow and he just sighs.

"The tomb vampires want to take over the town."

"And?" Really this is way he pulled me away from the sexy barmaid?

"You make it sound like not a bad thing?"

"Is it bad? And why should I care?"

Stefan just shakes his head at me, but the look there in his eyes say clearly and loudly 'I knew you were a waste of space.'

"We can't let them kill people Damon, its wrong," Elena judges as she kneels in front of me. "I thought Alaric meant something to you, I thought I was your friend?" She carries on in her scared little girl voice, but there it is that tug that says I need her later, her being alive is important.

"I'll talk to them, but I am only one person, and they out number and age me," I grit out walking away. I just reach my room when I hear her soft thank you.

"You're becoming a sap." I mutter out to my empty room.

I strip, grab my bed clothes and head to the shower room; I always seem be able to think more when I am in here.

I'm still not over sure how I will manage to convince a bunch of vampire that have been changed in a tomb, some for hundreds of years, to just let it go.

I lay down in my bed placing open hand behind my head.

" _Hey," a soft voice husks into my ear as an arm wraps around me. I feel her soft lips kissing my back. I clasp hold of her hand as my other arm grips hold of her. She giggles and I pull her around so that she is in front of me. Before I can even make her out my lip are on hers._

 _I let her lips go, moving to her neck, kissing her as my hand runs all over her body._

" _Love you," she whispers into my ear, and my heart takes off, and I move a little away from her. One of my hands grasps hers and I place it over my beating heart._

 _I look right into her dark brown eyes that are looking at me with wonder. "I love you too," I say pronouncing each of the words. As her face lights up there is a large banging. I look to the door and then back to her, but she just tilting her head at me._

" _Run," I scream out at her, but she looks at me shaking her head._

 _I pull her to standing. "Run," I tell her again as the door bursts open with a large group of men, holding crossbows and torches, all barge in. I look over my shoulder, seeing the girls brown hair blowing in the wind as she runs. I feel someone hit me on the side of my face, but I know I must fight I must give her the chance to escape, even if it means my death._

 _I try to fight them off but they seem to be so much stronger than I. I see the arrow almost at the same time it pierces my chest, as I drop to the ground, I pray that she got away, that they don't get her._

I pant as I sit up on my bed. I use to have that dream in my human life, but when I turned into a vampire it became less frequent. This is the first time in about a hundred years I have had that dream.

I move into my bathroom, washing my face. I close my eyes and try to see the girl face, but it doesn't come; it never comes. I only seem to remember that she has brown eyes and hair.

" _I wonder if the fact this girl has brown eyes and hair, is the reason for my attraction to girls like that,"_ my inner mind questions.

I snort and shake my head "It's more likely one of the book you read, several time through your life that you are now dreaming. You even read some so often in you human life that you could dictate nearly every word written." I chuckle back to myself

I move back into my room, as it's almost morning I get dressed, heading out to the blood bank needing to get something to drink.

I have already compelled some of the staff which makes it easier for me to get the blood bags. I sit with one of the bags drinking in the morgue.

"Want some," I ask the stiff that is one the table. "No, okay suit yourself." I chuckle down most of the bag. "You know what gets me? Stefan, he keeps going on about not drinking from the human's, and how we should try and protect human life, and that I need my humanity back. He doesn't even want me here, because my mood swings get a little bumpy when I am upset. BUT- when the going gets tough, it's me he and his Scooby gang run to. "Help us Damon," I mock out in a high pitched girl's voice. "When I do what they want me to, none of them are here to thank me- I go back to being the bad guy." I sigh taking the last of the blood bag. I roll my eyes at my complaining "You sure were a good listener," I tell the stiff hitting his shoulder. "But, I have to go and play the hero."

I pull up at Pearls home, before I am out of my car; three of her henchmen are out to greet me.

"Damon, it has been a long time."

"It has?" I smirk out at her.

"Still an arrogant little shit."

"Still a stuck up bitch," I argue back.

"I have years on you little boy. I could kill you quicker than a human could blink their eyes, and you know it." She hisses out at me.

"Let's just get down to business."

Pearl bobs her head in agreement and waves at me to follower her.

I take a quick look around to see that there seem to be seven vampires that I can see; there are also some humans that have been compelled.

"Well," I draw out.

"Don't get smart." One of the male vampire's hisses at me.

"We want to get the tomb removed so that we never have to face that again," Pearl says along with a sigh. "I want to get back into the council, get a say in the going-ons," she says waving her hand.

"No, we should kill them," the same male vampire that hissed at me, yells.

"Frederick."

"Why not? They trapped us with the intent to kill us, if it weren't for that witch."

Pearl gives Frederick a look and nods her head to the side; he stomps out.

"I'll give you one month to get things rolling. We will be getting our way whether the town agrees or not; we will be taking control over this town," Pearl declares.

"Can you control your baby Vamp's till then?" She raises her eyebrow at me.

"I can, just make sure the town is ready for us to take over, it is the only way they will live, understood?"

"Yep," I mock, walking back to my car. Right now I am not overly worried about Pearl, but this Frederick guy looks as if he could be a problem."

I sit in my car for a few minutes before driving to Elena's, knowing that Ric will be there, and there is a high chance that Stefan will be there too, following Elena around like a lapdog.

When I arrive at the house I just walk right in, but before I can get a word out I see that Ric looks frantic as he moves around the living room pulling it apart, as if he is searching for something.

As he passes me without even a hello, I take a hold of his shoulders, "Where's the fire?"

"Damon not now," he grits out moving away from me.

"Don't you want to hear about the tomb Vamps," I ask.

"No," Ric yells out. "Jenna, I can't find my car keys," he says. I look down, seeing that they are on the table, I pick them up.

"Your plane leaves in two hours," Jenna tells him while handing him a bag.

"Great, but I can't find my keys."

I shake them, making Ric rolls his eyes before taking them from me. "Are you going somewhere," I ask still having no idea why he is running around the house.

"Yes," is all he says before walking out.

"What have I missed," I ask Jenna, and she looks at me. I then that I see she looks upset and is holding back tears.

"What's happened?" I ask again.

"Liz was just here" she starts and I bob my head at her. "Alaric's brother-in-law, Charlie, was killed along with his ex-wife Renee in a home invasion." I gasp.

"Oh," I mutter trying to think if he ever talked about this Charlie or Renee.

"There is more," Jenna sighs. "Charlie and Renee have a teen aged daughter-Isabella. She was there too, but she is still alive. Liz said the police she talked too told her that Isabella is a mess, and doesn't have anyone else. Alaric has gone to get her."

I bob my head thinking over what she said. "Charlie was Isobel's brother?" Jenna bobs her head.

"Great, just what we need," I mutter not needing anyone of that damn family here.

 **That chapter one, you'll meet Bella soon.** __ **I am looking for a per-reader and beta if anyone would like to do this, then PM me please.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks again to my beta's MsRahvin79 and kselzer.**

 **I am Not Worthy**

 **Chapter 2**

"How did it go with Pearl?" Stefan asks as he walks into the living room, with Elena following behind him.

"She wants some control over the town." I mutter out as I think about Ric and this niece of his.

"Damon," Stefan yells.

I frown as I look at him to see he is sighing as he is pinching the bridge of his nose. "What now?"

"The tomb vampires, Pearl..."

"She's giving us a month to get the town ready for the take-over." I tell him with a roll of my eyes.

"So, what, we are just going to let this happen?" Elena asks.

"No, but we've got other problems to worry about."

"Oh, what's more important than that, Damon, you have another girl to compel, use and feed from," Stefan hiss. I leap up, grabbing a hold of him.

"No! I am talking about Ric getting a call to say his brother-in-law has been killed, and his niece is now an orphan." Stefan pales and swallows hard making his Adam's apple wobble, but I am not done. "His brother-in-law, as in Isobel's brother; makes her the niece, Elena's cousin. Now do you see our problem?" I push him away from me and he just stars at me.

"What do you mean Charlie's dead?" Stefan and I both spin around to see John standing there with a bag at his feet.

"Dead, as in no longer alive." I snarl out.

"Watch it," John hisses stepping toward me, but Elena the stupid idiot, steps in front of me.

"You promised not to hurt them," she barks out.

"No, I promised not to hurt Stefan. Damon on the other hand, is fair game, and a game I am willing to play." John grins in a challenging voice.

"Any day, Johnny boy. Remember, I have already killed you once."

"Enough!" Elena snaps, again holding her hand up between John and me.

"John what do you know about Charlie and his daughter?" Stefan questions, sounding amicable as usual.

"Not much, he was Grayson's friend."

"Do you know anything about his daughter?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"No, Grayson and Charlie had a big falling out about fifteen years ago. I don't think they ever made up."

"What was the falling out over?"

John sighs, but also looks guilty. "He found out about Elena and to say he went nuts would be putting it mildly."

"John, what…" Jenna says sounding shocked to see John standing in her living room.

"Hi," he grins out but she just sighs.

"You can't stay here, Alaric is bringing his niece back here, and she'll need her own room." At the end Jenna swallowed, closing her eyes.

"What have you found out?" I ask, knowing she went to the station to get more information on what went down.

"Nothing good. They have no leads on who killed Charlie or Renee. But they haven't been able to track down Renee's new husband." Jenna seems to stop but I know there is more.

"What about the kid?"

"They, the doctors were talking about committing her to a hospital for observation." I pull my eyebrows together waiting for her to carry on. "The person I spoke to said that Isabella refuses to talk to anyone…well any real person." Jenna swallows. "They said they hear her talk to herself, and there's the whole sleep issue."

"And the issues with sleeping…" I probe.

"She's not. She gets an hour or two at most, and even then she wakes up screaming." Jenna sighs, grabbing at her hair. "Her father and mother were killed in front of her just two weeks ago, what are they expecting from her?"

"She was there and she definitely saw it?"

"Yes, Alaric just called me a few minutes ago." She stops again almost if she is choosing her words. "He said whoever killed Charlie and Renee also beat Isabella badly. She had cuts and bruises all over her arms and legs. She just turned 17."

"When…when did this all happen?" I ask.

"They said it happened on the 25th." I look at Stefan who seems to hold the same worried look as I have. It could be a coincidence that at the same time we pulled down the tomb barrier, this girl was fighting for her life, but with the Petrova's you soon learn nothing is a coincidence.

I sit in my chair looking at the fire. I take a drink just as Stefan comes in and sits down.

"You think this is linked?" He asks with a frown.

"I don't see how, but we're talking about the Petrova's. I have a feeling where that family is concerned nothing is coincidence." Stefan nods his head in agreement with me.

"We need to watch her, make sure she is on the upper level." Stefan stops and swallows, looking right out at me.

"Spit it out Stef, I am not a mind reader."

"Could this be Katherine?"

I look at him and tilt my head. "She killed a couple, and compelled the town to make them think she was their child?"

I hum thinking over what he said. "We both know she can act the part of the scared hurt girl, we've seen it and fell for it."

"If it is then we kill her." I tell him simply.

"What if she hurt's Alaric?"

I sigh, picking up my cell. _We may have a problem. Can you send a photo of this Isabella?_ I hit send and sat back, waiting.

 _What's going on now?_ Ric send's back. I roll my eyes but before I can send a text to tell him just to do it, I have another incoming text from him.

I hit on the picture, and a young girl…woman, appears. She looks like Isobel and Elena, but her face is more heart shaped than their round one. Her eyes look darker too, but that may be because of the dark ring around her eyes. Her hair is brown, but much longer than Elena's; it looks as if it would hit her lower back. The thing that jumps out from the photo is she looks broken, scared and alone. She is sitting on a chair with her knees held against her chest by her arms.

"It's not Katherine." I tell Stefan, still looking at the photo.

"She looks broken." Stefan mumbles over my shoulder. "The bruises look nasty; whoever did this wanted her hurt."

I just hum out my agreement, as my eyes linger on this girl who appears to be tiny with such violent bruises.

It's a few hours later and my cell rings with Ric's name flashing on the screen.

"What was that about earlier?" He asks as soon as I pick up.

"Stefan was worried that it may have been Katherine." I tell him as I pour myself a drink.

"It's not."

"I saw that." I snort out. "How are things going?"

"It's not going, she's afraid, but when the police are here she shuts down. I don't know how to help her. I barely know her." He carries out sounding tired and worried.

"How well did you know Charlie before this?"

"He was a friend, he's the reason I am still alive." Ric pauses, but I wait for him. "When I thought Isobel was dead, he….he saved me."

"What did you do?" I hiss out at him.

"I tried to kill myself." he snorts, "I didn't want to live if Isobel wasn't with me. But, Charlie found me, got me to the hospital." Ric chuckle's darkly. "He never believed that Isobel was dead, kept telling me to have faith.

"Did you see much of Isabella?"

"No, not really, Charlie and Renee had divorced by the time I married Isobel, so where I saw Charlie plenty, Isabella on the other hand, I think I saw her twice."

"What about Isobel?"

"She doted on Isabella. She would go to Renee by herself just to spend time with Isabella. They even wrote to each other, but that seemed to be just for the two of them," he sighs out at the end, "and I don't know how Isobel could have done that with Isabella, yet she abandoned Elena."

"How is she getting on?" I ask knowing its best to move things on from Isobel.

"Not sure, she's quiet, there has been a few of her friends around, but she doesn't seem to be talking to them much. An old friend of Charlie's said she just needed time, and things should get better after the funeral; after she's out of the house."

"She's staying in the house where her parents were killed?" I ask, shocked.

"This was where she wanted to be, she freaked out when I said we should go to a hotel."

I rub my face knowing this girl being in that house is a bad idea.

"When is the funeral?" I ask.

"11 am Friday."

Suddenly a loud scream fills the cell, making me jump. "Ric!" I yell, feeling worried. The girl's screams are sending a chill down my whole body. As a vampire I can sense changes in humans when they are excited, their heartbeat in a way making the smell different. The same goes for happiness, sadness, or any emotion. Even without these signs, I know this girl is afraid, deeply afraid. I block out Ric's heartbeat, trying to tune in to this girl's. I pick it up and the speed of it surprises me; it's going much too fast, and this girl is going to end up with heart complications if it keeps at the speed.

"Hush Isabella, its Alaric." I hear Ric hum, but Isabella seems to have stopped screaming only to start sobbing hard.

"Damon, I need to go." Ric says sounding far away from the cell.

"I'll be there soon." I tell him hanging up. I flash to my room packing lightly, and then move to Stefan room.

"Kids." I say as I walk in.

"Damon." Elena yells covering herself. I roll my eyes, biting back the want to tell her I know what she looks like naked, she is after all Katherine's doppelganger.

"I'm going to help Ric, be back in a few days." I don't wait for them to reply, knowing I don't really have the time. I've got 36 hours till this funeral takes place. The drive to Forks shouldn't take any more than seven, but her scream is still at the front of my mind. Isabella may not be Katherine, but that doesn't mean she is not behind this.

I arrive in town, before the sun is up. "Okay maybe I should have found out where this Charlie lived."

I end up driving around the town a few times, before the town's only diner opens. "Morning." I say to the woman, making her jump, she turns around looking at me startled.

"You're going to tell me where Charlie and his daughter Isabella live. Once you have you'll not remember our meeting."

"775 K St, Forks." She drones out.

Before she can blink I am in my car driving to the nearby house. As I near the house, I am surprised to see a police car sitting outside along with a beat up rusty red truck.

I go to knock on the front door, but the door opens and I see Isabella standing there looking at me.

"Invite me in." I say compelling her.

"No." she snorts and tries to stare me down.

I frown a little, "Invite me in." I try again.

"Look Spike! You have the wrong house." I raise my eyebrow at her. Maybe Ric gave her vervain?

"I am a friend of Ric's."

"I don't know any Ric." she snaps back at me. I narrow my eyes at her starting to feel pissed off.

"Alaric, go and tell him Damon is here."

"No." she replies back, but there is some fire in her voice.

"Why not?" I question her.

"Because…I…he didn't fall asleep until a few hours ago"

"Did your screaming keep him awake?"

Isabella drops her eyes from mine. "Yes." she whispered having lost the fire she just had.

"Be a good girl and invite me in." I snark out hoping to get some of that fire back; no one should be this sad.

Isabella's eyes come back to mine and she just looks at me. "Are you going to invite me in?" I grumble.

"What's with the acting like Spike?" I widened my eyes as I raised my eyebrows hoping she will explain what she's going on about.

"The whole need to be invited in like a Vampire, you know Spike?" I chuckle at her darky.

"The people who invaded your home, did they ask to be invited in?"

She shakes her head at me. "No, they didn't. Well come on in Damon." she says standing back. But I find that instead of feeling relieved to get in, I am pissed at her for trusting me.

"That was a stupid thing to do, I could be anyone." I'm channelling her in her stupidness.

To my surprise Isabella snort, "Alaric told me last night that he thought you were coming, even showed me a photo of you so I would not get worked up if I saw you here." She stops talking, and seems to get angry. "He thinks because of those…" again she stops and bites her lips, "I told him I'm not going to freak out on everyone I meet, or anyone that drops in. The people," she spits out the word people, "that killed Charlie and Renee are long gone; if they or any of their group comes here I would know right away. But like you said they wouldn't wait for an invite in."

I watch her walk away and she looks over her shoulder at me. "I was just about to make breakfast, would you like something?"

I walk behind her into the kitchen taking a seat at the table as she gets to work on breakfast. As she is busy I take a few minutes to look her over. She looks very similar to Elena and Isobel. The main difference is Isabella is smaller, both in height and build. She looks to be around five foot two; she also looks thinner than Elena. Her hair is the same color, even has the same wave to it, but like I thought most of it touches her lower back. There are some strands that are shorter.

As she has on shorts I can see the bruises that are still covering her legs. Isabella reaches up to get something off a shelf, as she stretches, her tank top and shirt move up revealing whip marks. I leap out of my seat and move to her. As I place my hand on her she jumps but I keep her in place moving her tops up more. I swallow and just look at her in shock.

"They whipped you." I whisper out, but she just looks at me. "They whipped you." I repeat harsher than before.

"I didn't give them the answers they were looking for." she tells me with a shrug, like it was no big deal to get whipped.

I just stare at her "Leave it, please." she begs me, as her eyes fill with tears, tears I know she's not letting go of.

I give her a bob of my head and move back to my seat.

"What were your parents like?" I ask her softly.

She looks at me from over her shoulder, as she touches her hair behind her left ear.

"You don't have to tell me I was just wondering what they were like."

"No, I'll tell you, just let me get breakfast plated up." It only takes her a few minutes to come over to the table with a plate of pancakes and another with bacon.

She sits them down and goes away, only to come back with plates, and two cups of coffee.

"Help yourself." She says pushing the plates of food closer to me.

"What were your parents like?" I ask keeping my eyes on her.

"You eat I'll talk." she say compromising.

I nod my head in agreement; I take a few pancakes placing them on my plate I look at her to tell her to start.

"My mom, there's no quick way to explain her. Her personality changed depending on the guy she was with. When she was single she was irresponsible, irrational to the point of putting herself and others in danger. She never thought anything through, and could be quite self-centred. But she was seen as being a cool, fun, party girl who was ruled by her emotions. She was the teenager and I was the parent, it may have been weird to an outsider, but it worked for us." Isabella pause d and then sighs. "Charlie, he was the complete opposite of Renee in many ways. He was this town's Chief of Police. He loved his work and fishing. He couldn't cook to save himself, and would always keep his in emotions under control."

Isabella pulled her eyebrows together as she seems to think something over. "There were times I never knew if he was happy, sad, or angry. But the...the night he died, he-I" she cover her mouth just looking at me. "He cried. He cried and begged them to let Renee and me go...he...he never knew it was my fault." Before I can evening question what she mean's she is running off sobbing.

"What?" Ric asks looking at me then to the door, Isabella just ran out of. "What did you do?" he asks sounding as if shock has left him leaving anger in its place.

I shake my head at him and walk out of the kitchen; when I get to the door that holds the sobbing girl I knock on it gently.

"Isabella." I say as I walk into her room, she shakes her hand at me and I let out a sigh, emotional girls are so not my thing.

"Sorry." she sniffs wiping her face. "Just over tired"

"Lie down and get some sleep." I tell her as I pull back her cover. Once she lies down I pull them up and over her.

"Ric and I will be down stairs." She bobs her head at me and closes her eyes.

I walk out of her room, and take one last look at her before closing her door.

"What happened?" Ric grits out as I walk into the living room.

"She got overwhelmed." I tell him simply. I know a thing or two about guilt, and just because Isabella feels guilty doesn't mean it has anything to do with her.

"Sorry." Ric sighs as he rubs his face. "She just looks so sad and broken all the time."

"It's still fresh Ric, humans don't move on that fast, but after the funeral I will compel her to forget what she went through."

As I wait for Ric to explode over what I just said I tune my hearing to the girl upstairs. I can hear her moving around, but seem to still be on her bed.

"That may be a good idea but we should wait till we are on our way to Mystic Falls."

I turn looking at Ric with a frown. "It's as much for me as it is for her, I don't think I can cope with hearing her screaming."

I bob my head at him. "No need to explain, but you do know you have to stop the vervain." I tell him as Isabella's heart and breathing slow down telling me she is falling asleep.

"I haven't given her any; I didn't even pack it." My head snaps to his tilting it as I think over why I couldn't compel her earlier.

"What's wrong?" Ric asks and I shake my head at him. There is no point in talking to him until I have this figured out.

"Nothing, Isabella is asleep, why don't you head back to bed, I can keep an ear open for her." To my surprise Ric nods his head at me and walks back to the room he is using.

Not even an hour has gone past when Isabella's heart rate goes from 40 beats per minute to 160. I move quickly to her room finding her panting as if she can't breathe.

I close my eyes and touch her forehead as I try to push myself into her dream, in order to change it. I see that I am in a room, with Isabella who is tied up; looking across the floor to her parents who are screaming in pain, yelling it burns over and over again.

"Tell me." Someone hisses. I turn to see a group of men, but they are in the dark. So, I try to lighten the room up. "Tell me!" The man roars. Suddenly I am harshly pushed out of her mind. I open my eyes to see her panting as she looks at me scared, but her eyes are pleading at me, pleading with me just to hold her.

I open my arm and she all about jumps into them sobbing. "Hush, it's gonna be alright." I mumble into her ear. I run my hand through her hair but she pulls quickly away from me.

"Sorry, again." she says as she tries to calm herself.

"Get dressed." I demand, but she just frowns at me.

"You need to get out of this house, get dressed." I walk to the door, and look around at her.

"I'll give you ten minutes to get dressed."

"If I don't?" She questions making me smirk at her.

"Then I just take you out with those cute shorts on. I am getting you out of this house one way or another."

"Can I have half hour?" I tilt my head at her, "To get a shower, wash my hair, takes twenty minutes to dry it."

"That may be a good idea because frankly my dear you stink." I close the door chuckling at her grumbling.

"Am I invited?" Ric asks looking at me.

I shrug. "Not like I can stop you."

It takes Isabella closer to forty minutes to join Ric and I in the living room. But as the shower didn't stop till twenty minutes in I decided to give her a few extra minutes. I look her over seeing that her hair is mostly dry, and she is wearing jeans and a large sweater.

"Where are we going?"

"You're the girl that from here, where do you want to go?"

"La Push beach?"

"The Indian tribe beach?" I ask and she bobs her head.

"Let's go kids," I grin out.

Ric and I walk behind Isabella as she walks along the sand, "Charlie used to bring me here every summer; I would stay here on the beach with the other kids and women. He would go fishing. He and the rest of the guys would come back in time to cook up whatever they caught." She stops and looks at us as she chuckles. "By the end of every summer I would be a little afraid that I was going to turn into a fish. But, I would gladly eat it every day for the rest of my life, just to get one more second with him. I don't think I told him that I loved him." As her tears start to fall from her eyes Ric and I both move forward, Ric gives me a curious look before he wraps Isabella into a hug.

"I'm sure he knew that you loved him." he whisper whispers to her.

 **Thank you for all those who offered to Beta.**

 **So you have meet Bella what's your thoughts on her. Who do you think killed Renee and Charlie?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks again to my beta's MsRahvin79 and kselzer.**

 **I Am Not Worthy**

 **Chapter 3**

"Damon." Alaric says handing me a drink. I watch as he downs his own in one.

"Isn't it a little early for you?" I ask downing my own.

"Not today." he mutters back, pouring another for us. "Are you, needing any other kind of drink?" he asks.

"I have some blood bags in a small fridge in the basement; I'll take one before we leave." He just nods at me. "How is she?" I ask looking toward the stairs. I can hear her moving around, and despite the fact she has been awake since four this morning she has yet to come out of her room.

Alaric shakes his head. "She's back to not talking. I just wish I knew what they did to her." He sighs and downs a third drink. "Maybe it's best that I don't know, the sooner you can compel her, the better."

I hum a little, but there's something at the back of my mind that tells me the whole compel thing and Isabella are not going to mix.

"Damon?" I frown looking at Alaric. "Can you come here a minutes please?" Isabella carries on making Alaric frown along with me, to why she's calling for me and not him.

"Go." He sighs and I give him a nod as I walk up the stairs.

I head to her room, but find it empty; I move along to her father's and find her sitting on his bed. "Hey." I say closing the door.

Isabella looks at me then to the door. "He's still down the stairs." I tell her.

"You and Alaric are good friends, right?" I give her a nod, still unsure of where this is going.

"Do you know anything about his wife Isobel?"

"Yes a little." I tell her and she just looks at me and then sighs.

"Charlie didn't believe she was dead; he even had fights with Gran about it before she passed away." She stops and groans. "To cut a long story short, just before she disappeared, she came here. I sort of overheard them talking, she left some books and other stuff with my dad in this box." My eyes move to the bed seeing the box she is talking about. "I think Alaric should have them, but I don't want to bring back any unpleasant memories for him." She stops and looks at me.

"Do you want me to give them to him?" She snorts and bobs her head.

"Could you? I remember when Gran and Papa Frank held a funeral for her, Charlie refused to go; believing she was still alive. That was my fault I think." I raise my eyebrow in question at her, but she closes her eyes and waves her hand at me. "Renee took me, he...Alaric looked heartbroken. His mom, my Gran and Papa Frank, were holding him up, and I just remember thinking if they let him go he would fall apart. This may not be my place, but I know that Alaric made some mistakes in the months that followed. I don't want to give him this and for him to fall that deeply into depression again."

"He won't." I tell her as I move, sitting on the bed next to her.

"Did you get on with Isobel?" I ask.

"Somewhat, yeah." Isabella snorts. "She was trying to be the young, hip, cool aunty, but sometimes I felt she was using me for what she needed."

"In what way?" I ask making Isabella just look at me.

"Okay then." I smirk, knowing she's not going to tell me. "Why are you to blame for Charlie thinking she was still alive?"

"I saw her." She replies with tears in her eyes. "I didn't even know she was missing, but I saw her. I swear I saw her talking to dad, but before she left she told me to forget that I saw her. When Charlie and Renee sat me down to tell me she was dead, I started to yell at them, telling them she was just here and begging dad to remember that he spoke to her." Isabella sniffs and wipes her eyes. "No one believed me, they thought I was upset." Isabella snorted. "Renee thought I was nuts and should be hospitalized. I think that's what made Charlie believe. He would rather believe that I saw her than have me hospitalized. And that choice made Renee push me to attend the funeral, even with me begging her for me not to go."

I take hold of her hand and give a small squeeze, knowing full well Isobel must have come back here.

"Damon, Isabella," I look to the doorway to see Ric standing there looking angry, but trying to hide it. Which clearly means he was listening in.

"Bella." Isabella say making us both just look at her. "Just Bella, no one really calls me Isabella, unless I am in trouble."

"Bella." Ric says along with a nod of his head.

"I'm sorry." Bella says with a clear of her throat. "I…" she stops and clears her throat again. "I can't say that I made up seeing her, because I really believe she was here. But, at the same time I can't understand why she would have stayed away from us, from you."

 _You can't but I can_ , my mind chuckles darkly.

"It's okay." Ric tell Bella as he joins us on the bed.

"Have you looked inside of this?" He asks her.

"Yeah, just some mumbo jumbo about the sun and moon curse. Something about it being linked to her family ancestor?" Ric and I both share a look between us, this box may have the information we have been looking for.

"I'll go make breakfast; we still have some time before people start arriving." Bella says quickly and almost bolts out of the door.

"Do you think she was really here, after you turned her?" Ric asked as he stared at the box in front of me.

"Sounds like it." I sighed.

"Why couldn't she compel Isabella then? Could it have been an age thing? It must have been right after you turned her."

"Bella." I correct him. "As for the compelling not working, I'm not sure about it being an age thing, although I'm not discounting it. But you would then have to ask how she managed to compel Charlie, normally children are easier."

"So why?" I shrug at him; I would like to know the answer to that myself

"We should wait till after the funeral to look at this." I say as I tap the box.

"Yeah, you're right about that." Ric hisses a little making me raise my eyebrow at him. "Just, I really loved her from the second I saw her. I shared my life with her and thought she shared her life with me. But these past few months, what I have found makes me realise that I never knew her, not the real her anyway. I spent so many years hating you, wanting to get my revenge on what I believed you did to her, but it was her all along."

"It's a Petrova thing." I tell him simply. "You're not the only one to fall under their bullshit."

"You have a way with words." Ric snorts. "What about Bella? Do you think she has the Petrova element that makes men fall at their knees?"

I look to the door. "She does look like Elena and Isobel, but I'm not sure. There is something about her, just can't put my finger on it. She's hiding something."

"Hiding what though?" Ric asks.

"If I knew what then she wouldn't be hiding it now would she? Come on she's almost done with breakfast."

Ric and I sit at the table eating the mound of food Bella has made, but like yesterday, she seems to just sit there picking at one small piece of food. She doesn't eat anything, which is not that good considering this girl doesn't have any extra weight that she can lose. But I have noticed her tiredness and lack of food has been going on longer than the two weeks since her mother and father's death. This girl was going through something and whether that something has to do with just the death of her parents remains to be seen.

As Bella spent time cleaning the already clean kitchen the doorbell rings. "I'll get that." Ric says and I bob my head, walking into the kitchen.

"There are people starting to arrive." I tell her softly, but she doesn't respond to me. I move to her and pull her around to look at me.

"It's clean." I tell her, but she just looks at me. I look to the kitchen door and then back to her. "You're going to get through this, you're going to go into the living room, and greet whoever comes. Ric and I will deal with the rest." Bella just looks at me and nods her head, but I know by the look on her face that I haven't compelled her.

"Tough love, I get it. I don't want to go out there because they will all be telling me how great my dad was, and how much he'll be missed, and then ask me how I am. What do I tell them? I can't say that it fucking hurts that he's been taken away from me by a bunch of cowards; that it hurts to keep seeing that they tried to break a great man, that they killed him for..." Bella quickly snap her mouth shut stopping her rant.

"Who killed them?" I ask, having a feeling in the pit of my stomach that the killing of her parents was not the human reasons, but what could this girl know about the supernatural?

"It doesn't matter."

"It does, I know we just met but you can come to me, anytime."

Bella tilts her head looking at me. "I have a feeling this is not your strong point, being there for someone."

Feeling a sting from her words, even if they are true I take a step back, but she grabs a hold of my arm. "That's not a bad thing. You have a wall…a wall that's been there for some time. I have just built mine. We both need time; I can't trust you at the moment. You don't trust me. You're asking these questions not to help me, but to make sure I am not bringing any nasty fucker to you or your friends lives." She looks toward the kitchen door and then back at me. "Right now I trust you more than anyone else. As for my fucker, while I can't say it will stay away, I have this ability that attracts fuckers like a magnet."

I give her a curious look. "Anything dangerous out there, it will find me." I keep my look on my face. "I have a beacon that flashes 'her, come get her'. I have been attacked four times since I turned fifteen, and I'm talking about men wanting to...you know. Three of the four, someone else helped me, a different person each time. The first time, I had to fight my own way out. And when I was running away from him, I tripped and fell down a manhole that was not signed; broke my leg in two places." I go to talk, but she holds her hand up. "My first car was a death trap, but luckily, or unluckily for me, three guys who just robbed a bank smacked right into me, within half an hour of me being out alone with it. The lucky part was that I was stationary and the mechanic who looked over my car said if I had been driving or on the road with it, I would have been killed. I was babysitting for a friend of Renee's when some guy was looking for another family in the block and firebombed the house I was in. I went to the seven eleven because Renee was having banging on the walls sex and the place that's never been held up got held up. I was eating at a diner when a guy ran out without paying and stole my bag and I ran after him to find out later he was an escaped convict. Need I go on?"

I snort a little and add a chuckle when her face flushes telling me that this rant revealed more than what she intended. "No but thank you for the heads up, I may need to watch over you twenty four seven."

"There is no need." She argues.

"Yes, I get to be where the fun is and beat some guys up, without anyone bitching at me."

"I am so happy you have a use for me." She huffs out, but I just wink at her.

"The guys, none of them hurt you, the way they wanted to?" I ask having been worried about that since she said it.

"No, we better get in there." She says with a frown looking at the kitchen door.

"Yeah."

Bella walks out and I am surprised to find that there seems to be a lot of people here.

Bella sighs and run her hands through her hair as people gather around chatting. Within a few seconds Bella walk back out, I sigh and follow her out. "You have to do this." I tell her harshly.

"I know they are all...just too loud." She says with a sigh.

I look back to the house knowing that they were a little loud. "There's not much I can do about that sweetheart." I smooth out to her.

"There is." I turn look at her to see she bit her lip

"What?"

Bella close her eyes. "Stay with me and tap my arm if someone is talking to me."

I narrow my eyes at her not getting what she means. "I'm deaf." She clarifies, moving her hair out of the way. "I wear a cochlear hearing implant on my left side." She carries on as she removes it. "I have only had it for two years, so I've not learned to filter out sound." She shrugs a little. I move to her and push her hair out of the way to see that there is a part that is impaled into the left side of her head just above the left ear.

"Only one side?"

"Yes."

"How does it work?" I mutter.

"This part…" Bella says softly "This is the microphone, this is the transmitter, and it attaches with a magnet to this part. The transmitter sends information to the receiver; then it sends the information down a cord to the brain." I look down at her in wonder how she knew what I said.

"I can lip read."

I bob my head at her. "You speak well for someone that is deaf." I comment, not that I ever spent time with anyone who is deaf.

"I am very determined and stubborn. So will you help me?"

I look around at the house and back to her. "Does Ric know?"

She shakes she her head at me. "No, it hasn't come up. I think it's bad enough he's getting a teenager to watch over without knowing this teenager is deaf. Besides he needs to see that I am capable; some people find out that I am deaf and have or feel the need to look after me all the time."

"You're not worried about me?" I ask her and she snorts.

"No, you strike me as the person that does what he wants too. I know if you do this, it's because you want to, not because you feel sorry for the deaf orphan girl." I smile gently at her.

"You know me so well. Okay what do I do?"

"Just stay close by, if someone talks to me and they're not in my view, direct me to them, repeat what they said or just answer them if it's the same old stuff. You know, 'I'm sorry for your loss'."

"Okay." I hold out my arm and she takes it.

"Can you hold on to this, I don't have any pockets in this dress?" I take it from her, as my eye glances down her body, to see she has on a black dress which stops at her knees, it look very elegant on her. I place the part of her hearing aid into my pocket for safekeeping. As we walk to the house I can't help but wonder if this is the reason I can't compel her. I may need to find some else that is deaf and try it out to be sure.

We walk back into the house and Ric just looks at me, I shake my head at him. "Bella, my dad and I can sit up front with you." A young boy says.

"You and your dad are welcome up front Jake, but I have my Uncle and Damon to keep me company." The boy, Jake, gives me a toothy grin, as he nods his head.

"You want to come and sit with us then?" he tries again, only this time he takes hold of her other hand and yanks at her.

"Hey boy." I say harshly. "She's with me." I declare giving him a stare down. He gives me a puzzled look and tilts his head to the side, reminding me of a dog.

"Jake, your dad needs you." Bella says pointing over at a man in a wheel chair.

Jake huffs and then walks away. I tap Bella's hand and she turns, looking at me. "Is he an ex?" I ask and she shakes her head. "A want to be?"

Bella sighs, but this time nods her head. "He does believe he feels that way about me, even after I explained to him he doesn't, not really."

I hum. "He kind of reminded me of a dog, you know the stupid ones that chase after the fake balls; the best friend never the lover." Bella just snorts at my comment, but a loud huff makes me look over to where Jake is to see he is not a happy camper, clearly sulking that Bella remained with me, instead of going with him.

"The cars are here Bella," Ric says. As Bella wasn't looking at him she doesn't respond. I stroke her arm making her look at me.

"Do you want to go to the car first or last?" I ask her and she seems to thank me with her eyes.

"First, I would like a few minutes." I bob my head at her.

"If everyone could just stay here for a moment or two." I say loudly to the room and then walk Bella out of the house. I stand back giving her alone time. She places her hand on the car and then kisses her fingers and placed them back on the window; she moves to the second car and does the same.

"Okay, I am ready." She tells me and I look to the house giving Ric a nod of my head. As soon as he returns it I move quickly to the car.

"Let Ric get in first, then you, then me." I tell her, wanting her to be in between Ric and me; that way one of us will be out of the car before her.

I hold on to her as Ric slides in. I help Bella in next and then get in. The car ride to the church is quick and I step out of the car offering Bella my hand to help her out.

Ric moves off and stands with a group that will carry Renee's coffin in. The music starts playing and the men carrying each of the coffins walks side by side into the church with Bella following. I hear a muffled sob and I wrap my arm around her. Right away her body moves closer to mine and I feel her sobs and weakness. I make sure I have a good hold on her.

I help her sit at the booth, taking the seat next to her. Within a few seconds Ric has joined us sitting on Bella's other side. I hear a grumble and look to see the boy, Jake, from earlier. "We're her friends, her family, we should be helping her, she should be staying with us." He grumbles to his father.

"No, it is best that she leaves: if she goes maybe they will too." The old man says spiking my interest.

"We should be protecting her."

"Enough!" The old man hisses making Jake shut his mouth.

As Reverend Webber takes us through the first prayer Bella's small body starts to shake almost violently. Ric takes a hold of her arm and starts to whisper to her, but I know that she can't hear him. I doubt that she could make out his lips with all the tears in her eyes. My own arm seems to go around her and I hold her closer to me.

"Let her get this out; she need to get this out." I whisper to Ric and he sighs but nods his head.

"I...Get me out of here." Bella begs and I help her to stand.

"Keep going." I say and quickly walk out with her.

"They're dead; it should be me that lays there not them."

I make her look at me. "You have to let go of this guilt, it's not healthy and will eat you up."

She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. "I can't stop it from replaying, all I see is what they did to them and I…I didn't know what they wanted me to say, even when I told them what I thought they were after it wasn't right and they said I was lying." She shakes her head and groans.

"I can't see your lips; I don't know what you are saying." She says, but using her hand too. "And you don't sign, meaning that you may have no idea what I am sobbing about."

I snort where her words may have been lost on some humans, I can make them out enough to know what she is saying.

"I." I say pointing to myself. "Will learn." I frown as I think of a word for learn, and end up tapping my head. "Sign language." This time I just copy the sign Bella had used when she said signed to me.

"You would do that?"

"Yes." I say and bob my head largely which seems to make her chuckle.

"Let's go back in, but can we sit at the back?"

"We can." I say holding out my hand for her to take.

The rest of the service goes by quick. At the end Bella just wants to go back home so Ric and I send our regards to the others that are off to the wake at the local centre.

Bella walks into her house and look right at Ric. "When are we leaving?" She asks him directly.

"When would you like to leave?" he asks her worried.

"Could we finish the packing, boxing everything up today, tomorrow and leave tomorrow night? That way I should be there in time to start school Monday?" Ric frowns and looks at me, but Bella walks to him.

"I need to get away from here, the memories, it's too much."

Ric rubs his face as he mutters an okay. Bella's eyes move to mine and I hold up my thumb to tell her I agreed and she let out a sigh.

"I should tell you that I think I may still be on the people who killed Charlie and Renee's radar and I do have another person that could be just as deadly on my case. Are you sure you want me to come with you? This is your get out of jail free card."

The sadness in her voice makes me answer. "You sound like you'll be right at home with the rest of the Scoobies." I chuckle to her. I straighten my face. "Anyone that comes to harm you will find that no one messes with my friends and gets to live." Bella frowns a little, but bobs her head at me.

I watch her walk out the room. "Damon, is there something I should know?"

I turn and look at him, but shake my head. I am not sure what's going on, but I do know that I am getting tired of seeing Bella's eyes filled with tears; in fact, I will kill anyone else that make this girl cry.

 **Bella is deaf, did that surprise you? What are your thoughts? Thanks you for reading**


	4. Chapter 4

**I Am Not Worthy**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Thank you to my beta's**

I am down in the basement trying to get some enjoyment from the blood bag, but it's just not the same as getting it direct from the source. Nothing beats feeding from some sexy collage girl's neck; having their heart rate leap with fear and excitement. But I promised Elena, Stefan and Alaric that I would try to drink only from blood bags. I snort, still unsure of why I made that promise; or better yet why the hell I am keeping to it.

I sigh grabbing my flask with whisky in it and downing some of that too. I start to make my way up the stairs when I hear the front door open and then click closed. I speed up the rest of stairs and out the front door to see Bella sitting in the bed of the red truck crying.

"Still crying?" I ask as I jumped up on the bed. Bella frowns at me as she flips me off, making my mouth drop open.

"Shit you have your hearing aid in?" I mutter, having expected her to leave it off.

Bella rolls her eyes, but bobs her head, "I wasn't sure if Alaric was in bed, and I don't want him to think I am ignoring him…being rude."

I snort and tilt my head at her. "You could just tell him you are deaf." I say with a mocking tone.

"You have no idea what it is like."

"What what's like?"

Bella huffs loudly, "I was born deaf so maybe it's me that doesn't understand. But as I can talk well and lip read, most people didn't know that I am deaf." She chuckles and looks at me. "I think Renee forgot I was deaf sometimes." She shakes her and clears her throat. "When they find out, they don't believe me. I find that they question me and ask if I am sure. Then they start to speak sl-ow-ly." She said with pointed slowness. "Or some even yell or at least it looks as if they are shouting. Which it's odd that you would shout at someone who deaf. What are they expecting? For me to go WOW now you are screaming I can hear you?"

I just shrug; I don't get human on the best of days.

"Then they act as if I am unable to think or make choices so they ask someone I am with what I want, what I need. If I am alone they act as if they are scared to come anywhere near me. Then there are the ones that expect me to prove I am deaf; or the plain rude ones that will sit next to me and then talk about me, making jokes, laughing, judging me." She shakes her head and looks back at me. "Others feel the need to protect me and they go over the top, they start to guide me as if I have a sight impairment too. They will tell me as if I am a child the coffee I have is hot, to be careful I don't hurt myself."

"They are just doing that because they care." I tell her but she snorts.

"No, they are doing it because they don't understand; I need him to see that I am able to take care of myself just like any other person."

I look at her and my eyes glance at the marks that are still boldly showing on her body.

"That's different; I am talking about everyday stuff, normal stuff."

"But you are not normal." I tell her smugly, even if this girl could hear she still wouldn't be what I would consider as being normal, for one thing she barely acts like a teenager.

"Who wants to be normal?" She asks me back smugly, making me chuckle.

"What are you doing out here anyway?"

"I want to watch the sunrise." I hum and take a drink from my flask.

"Want some?" I ask holding it out for her; she takes it from me and sniffs it.

"Whisky?" I nod my head as I give her a sly grin. She shrugs her shoulder and downs some and then hands it back to me. I am shocked that she drank it without any problems, no coughing fit, nothing!

"Isobel gave me some when I was twelve."

"Twelve!" I repeat

"She wanted to be the cool Aunt, remember?" Bella sighs out in a duh tone.

I shrug not really caring.

"Did you ever meet her?" Bella seems to ask.

"Why?" I counter as I look at her.

"She talked about a guy she was looking for, she described someone that sounds a lot like you."

"She talked about guys with you?" I ask feeling shocked.

Bella gives me her 'you're an idiot look'. "Renee, she was talking to Renee." Bella shakes her head. "Who was telling her to go for it and that 'he' sounded hot." Bella's face turned to a look of disgust.

"Not a fan of talking about hot guys?"

"That's not a problem as long as the said guy is single, but more so the girl that's talking about him is. She was married." Bella's eyes flash to the house as she shakes her head again. I pull my eyebrows together as if not understanding something.

"Wait, you said you only had the hearing implant for two years?"

Bella nods her head in agreement. "But she's been _dead_ for almost four, so how…how did you hear?"

"I told you I can lip read, even at a distance I can make out what someone is saying." I raise my eyebrow at her.

I move a little bit away from her, but her eyes stay on me. "You're sexy." I mouth to her and right away she blushes.

"I think you will come in handy." Bella rolls her eyes and looks forward as I move back to sitting next to her.

"Tell you what, I will ' _eavesdrop'_ in other people's conversations if you get my truck to Mystic Falls."

"This truck?" I ask, unsure if this truck could make it down the street.

Bella turns to me as she talks. "I love this truck." She stops and smiles, the first real smile I have seen from her. It seems to not only light up her eyes but her whole face.

"This rust bucket? I may not have heard this thing go yet, but I've got a feeling it will be loud and almost as sore on the ears as it is on the eyes." I state out loud.

"Hush, my truck has some character, just like your car."

"My car has been well taken care of, unlike this."

"It's not my fault and if I had the money I would restore it, but I don't so I have to fix parts when I can." She argues back at me getting more fired up.

"You will need more than money to fix this heap of junk, love." I tell her with a sigh.

"Don't mock my truck. It may be old, seen better days. It has had some owners that never showed it the love that it showed them. But it gets me to where I need to go, safely. It starts every morning, it…." she trails off and I have to clamp my mouth shut to stop myself from chuckling at her rant; but she looks so cute defending her truck. "It's been here longer than YOU have been alive." She huffs at the end and I lose my composure and laugh, but she glares at me.

"Hold up there, firecracker, I'm just playing with you." I say as I hold my hands up in surrender. "I'll get this to Mystic Falls, but you have to ride in there with me."

I hold my hand out, waiting for her to agree. "I am not driving in this thing alone; it's going to take twice as long."

"You're really going to try?" She asks me slowly and I bob my head at her. I was already planning on doing this when I saw her smile, but wanted to see how badly she wanted it and I am so glad that I did.

"No." Her face falls, but I keep talking. "I am not going to try. I am and will get it there."

Bella's small body launched at me, she wraps her arms around me hugging me to her. "Even if it doesn't make it thank you for at least trying." She whispered into my ear and then let me go.

"Don't underestimate how awesome I am. You will owe me big if anyone sees me drive this thing." I mock as if I would be embarrassed to be seen in side of it.

Bella roll her eyes. "This truck will only add to your character."

"Yeah, just not in a good way." Bella hit my arm and I chuckled. I place my arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to my side. "Now hush, the sun is about to rise."

Bella moves out of my arm and ducks her head into the front of the truck before I can ask what she's doing she pulls out a blanket and lays it over both of us and then lays her head on my shoulder. As the sun rises, even after it is high up in the sky, she keeps her head on my shoulders, her breath slowly evens out as her heart rate drops. Feeling comfortable I close my own eyes and tilt my head to her side.

The sounds of passing cars wakes me after three and half hours. I look down to see Bella is still peacefully asleep. Knowing she's been out here for a while now, I know it would be better to take her inside. I pick her up carefully, but I am shocked at how light she feels.

"You need to eat more." I mutter to her sleeping body. I jump down from the tuck. As soon as I am in the house I use my vampire speed to get her up to her bed. Balancing her in one of my arms, I move her covers back and place her in her bed.

I swiftly remove her shoes; pull her covers up over her. My eyes glance at the cochlear, my hand moves to her and takes it off before switching it off. I place it in the drawer at her bedside and my hands go back to the part that is imbedded in the side of her head, touching it softly. I move on to her hair, pushing the strands that have fallen away from her face seeing that she looks so peaceful. She smiles large and lets out a chuckle.

 _Wonder what got you smiling? Maybe I should have a look._ I close my eyes and go to push in, _don't be a dick_. My inner voice barks stopping me.

I sigh dropping my hand from her head and walk out of her room softly closing her door.

I turn around just as Ric comes out of his room, but his eyes are already on me before I can disappear.

"Damon?"

"Morning." I grin out as he narrows his eyes at me. "Breakfast?"

"Why were you in Bella's room?"

"Just checking in on her." I lie to him smoothly.

He looks at me and then to the door. "Has she slept?"

"Yes, for almost four hours." I tell him as I move back down stairs.

I start making breakfast as Ric just sits looking at me, "Ric stop looking at me." I sing song out.

"She's my niece, so if there is something I should know…"

"She will tell you, now give it a rest."

"Jenna talked to the school, they're happy to let Bella start on Tuesday."

"Anything else?" I ask him pointedly; he was on his cell for a very long time last night.

"John wants to stay at the house too and is acting like a five-year-old." I look at him over my shoulder. "Jenna's words not mine."

I turn back and plate up the food I've made. "Thought the house only had four bedrooms?"

"It does, he said he will sleep in the basement." Ric mutters with a frustrated sigh

"You don't sound sure about this." I note, where I know John and Ric have some _tension_ between them I wasn't aware it was this bad. What am I talking about? It's over a woman; of cause it's bad!

"I don't think Bella will like to have another male around her right now."

I raise my eyebrow, as far as I have seen, she's been pretty calm around men.

As Ric opens his mouth, I hear Bella's heart rate starting to pick up. Before Ric can say a word I am in Bella's room.

"Firecracker." I whisper as I move to her, but her fear goes up another level. I've never seen anyone in this much fear while they've been sleeping.

"Firecracker." My mind echoes as tears full from her sleeping eyes.

I move to the bed and pick her sleeping body up and slide under her pulling her so that she is laying on my chest, I hum softly as I run my hand through her hair.

"Damon?" Ric question from the door.

"She was starting to have a nightmare." I answer him as her small hands fist in my shirt.

"Hey." I say as she tilts her head up looking at me. "You were having nightmare, Ric and I just came in" I tell her with a head nod at the door, hoping that she is able to still read my lips through her teared up sleepy eyes.

"I'm sorry." She mutters and I help her to sit up.

"It's okay Bella." Ric tells her, but her eyes are still locked on me.

"She knows it's alright Ric." Keeping eye contact with her I continued. "Why don't you get washed and met us downstairs? I made some yummy food and after that we can pack up your room."

Bella bobs her head as her eyes flicker around the room. I clasp her face in my hand. "Top drawer." I mouth to her knowing she was trying to find her cochlear.

She sends me a mouthed thank you and I walk out the room.

"Alright what's going on?" Ric demands as he shoves me against the wall.

"Nothing." I hiss back at him.

"I know there is something, she's hurting Damon."

"I know that." I bark back at him, pushing him away from me.

"I am your friend, your only friend and I am asking you not to do this with her."

I ignore what he just said and walk back down to the kitchen.

"Damon."

I turn and look at him knowing that I am going to have to fib a little, but I have a feeling that she needs me, but will not ask for my help. "I already promised her that I would help her and I keep my word." Ric just looks at me. I can clearly see he knows I am bullshitting him. I groan, not liking that he is starting to know me so well. I close my eyes as I swallow. I look him right in the eyes to show him I am meaning my next words.

"How about I promise not to hurt her, just to help her through this? And when she tells me to get lost, I will let her be. I'll stay well out of her life?"

Ric pulls his eyebrows together then gives me a sad look. He clearly knows that this will happen, at some point just like everyone else Bella will only see the monster.

"Agreed." Ric sighs. "Just tread carefully with her, that's all I ask. No feeding from her and apart from making her forget what she went through; there will not be any more using compulsion on her."

"About that." I hedged. "I can't."

"Can't what?" Ric asks.

"Compel her." Ric just looks at me. "I tried when I first arrived, needed her to invite me in and then again at the funeral when she was falling apart; didn't work."

Ric looks towards the kitchen door and then back to me. "Have you ever failed to compel someone before?"

I shake my head. "Not without the normal suspects" I say knowing he will know I mean witches and humans on vervain.

"This could be a problem."

"I don't see how."

Ric gives me an 'are you joking?' look. "We're taking her to vamp town."

"Yeah and we don't have to worry about her being compelled."

"Yeah you're right." Ric snarls out. "She may not be compelled just used to feed from, what is there to be worried about."

"We'll all watch her make sure she's safe, but you could train her like you are doing with Jeremy and Elena."

"You sound like you think we should tell her." Ric sighs.

"I do; we can't keep this from her."

Ric goes to argue, but I shake my head at him. "Hey." I smile as Bella walks through the kitchen door.

I tap the seat next to me and she walk over to it. "Eat what's on your plate." I tell her, I already have toast, bacon and a pancake on it.

"I'm a vegetarian."

"Since when?"

"About four years ago."

I hum taking the bacon off her plate and add another pancake sliding her plate back to her.

Bella cut her food up and moves it around the plate giving the illusion she is eating. "I mean it. I want you to eat everything." I order, this girl's not eating has just come to an abrupt end.

Bella glares at me and I glare right back at her. It only takes her seconds to huff and start to eat.

"Good girl." I chuckle

She mutters out 'dick', but continues to eat, so I let it slid.

"I can't eat any more." She says. I glance at her plate seeing she's eaten one of the pancakes, but only half of the other and none of the toast.

"Fine." I agree. "But you're eating some fruit in a couple of hours."

"Yes Sir."

I grin at her which makes her smirk a little as she rolls her eyes.

"Alaric." She says as she turns her attention to him for the first time this morning.

"Yeah?" He mutters, looking between her and me.

"Sue and Harry are going to look after this place till the new Chief arrives, but what about my mom's home, what will happen to that?"

"I am not sure as it's in Phil's…" Bella's whole body stiffens as soon as Ric says Phil's name, but Ric doesn't seem to pick up on it as he kept talking. "…name, until he is tracked down we can't legally do anything. Was..."

I place my hand over hers making her look at me. "Bella did Phil have something to do with what happened?" I ask cutting Ric off.

Bella looks at me and I see hate flash in her eyes giving me my answer.

"So we can't do anything, fine. I'll be in my room packing." Bella stand up and walks away.

I look at Ric and he asks. "Phil?"

I bob my head sure, that whatever went down, her step-father played a part in it.

"Think we should go up there?" I shake my head. I can hear her sobbing quietly, but sometimes people just need room to breathe and grieve.

"She knows we are here."

Ric and I spend most of the early morning packing up the living room. Right on the two-hour mark from breakfast I walk up to her room with some fruit.

"As promised." I say as I walk in.

"Thank you." She says turning to me, I hand her the plate and sit next to her.

"You're all packed?" I ask, noticing that her room looks empty.

"Yeah, didn't have much, mainly books." She says pointing at the three boxes.

"That's all books?" I ask her and she nods biting her lip.

"Remind me to show you my library when you come to my home."

"You have a library?" I grin bobbing my head. "How many books does it have?"

"Thousands." Bella's face drops and her eyes start to twinkle.

I roll my eyes chuckling softly. "Okay, instead remind me to get you a key cut for the house, I am not a morning person."

Bella chuckles lightly as she blushes. "You'll probably be better off to just not show me, but as you've already told me I know it's there. Though that's lucky for you. If I go missing, look in your library before panicking."

"I will." I look at her then to her plate. "Eat." I demand. She sighs putting down the bundle of drawings she was holding; as she eats I pick them up.

"These are good." I tell her looking over them, seeing they all have a BS at the bottom. "You drew these?"

I ask because they are amazing with such strong detail I can imagine all of these people in real life, even their personality. I can almost tell that Renee was a flake, more like forgetful. Charlie, who to my amusement has a porn stash, liked sports and fishing but looks, closed off. More comfortable with his own company, never had a serious relationship with anyone after Renee.

"You are very talented, firecracker."

"Grape?" She asks holding up the bowl and I take one.

"Eat the rest yourself. Who is this?" I ask holding up a photo of a girl that looks like a pixie that can't stand still.

"Alice." I give her a look to tell me more.

"She was my friend; her family was like my family." Bella tells me taking the book from me. "This is Carlisle." She says, showing me a man in a doctor uniform. "His wife Esme." I smile, because she smiled. "Emmett, Jasper, Rose." She tells each of their names as she shows me their drawings. "Lastly Edward, we dated." I take the book off her giving this Edward a once over.

"He looks constipated, broody." I mutter out and she snorts.

"He was…broody that is."

"Where are they; back in Phoenix's?" I only ask because I haven't seen them here and if they were her second family then surly they would be here for her.

"No they lived here. Edward broke up with me about a month ago." She chuckles looking at me. "He told me the day after my birthday that he was done and he and his family were leaving."

"Dick." I tell and she nods her head at me.

"I was so broken up about it, about them all just leaving. That's why Renee came here, if I just dealt with it then, he wouldn't have been here. I would have followed him and…" Bella again cut herself off making me even more curious about what happened.

"You can tell me, I will listen and not judge"

"I know. It just…" Bella shakes her head at me, and clears her throat.

"I am all done so we can leave as soon as we give Sue and Harry the key to the house. Most of my father clothes, bits and bobs that he had are going to goodwill next week."

"Yes, Ric and I have already packed everything up in boxes." I reply knowing she's just not ready to talk about it yet.

"So we can leave?" I look at her, there's something a little troublesome about her eagerness to get away from this place.

Bella stands up picking up one of the lighter boxes, as she looks around I pick up the largest on. "I want you to make me a promise." I say softly making her look at me. "Tell me when you are ready to come back and say good bye and I promise that I will bring you."

Bella just bobs her head at me.

"Ric, come get one of these boxes." I yell making Bella chuckle as we walk out her bedroom.

 **That's them off to Mystic Falls. The Cullen's are Vampire, and were a part of her live. They will or at least some of them will come in to the story but not. Let me know your thoughts**


	5. Chapter 5

**Short note to say thanks to my beta's**

 **I Am Not Worthy**

 **Chapter 5**

"Damon, why are you putting the boxes in the truck?" Ric asks making Bella freeze looking at me then to Ric.

"Alaric, I want to bring my truck with me to Mystic Falls," Ric eyes pop a little as Bella was talking.

"That? I'll buy you a better car Honey" Ric tells her as he side glances the truck.

"That's sweet of you, but I have this, my dad got me this," Bella tells him, almost in a desperate plea to let her bring it.

"Ric, I told her I would drive her and the truck to Mystic Falls, and that's what we're going to do."

"That? Damon I don't think it will make it to the end of town."

"What? You have got to be kidding; this is from the late 50s. That's when they made car's to last. You being a history teacher should have known that." I snark out at him.

He glare at me point his finger "If this thing crashes…"

I hold up my hand, "She'll be safer in this; they were built to withstand tanks."

"Isn't it a little below your normal standards?"

"What? This is a classic, it has character, it's the same age as my car," I say running my hand down the side of the truck.

"Watch it Damon your car may get jealous of you flirting with another vehicle."

"My baby knows that I love her and no one will take her place," I say winking at my car. "You better treat her right," I tell him and he rolls his eyes at me.

"Yeah, I'll show her a how a real man drives."

I go to reply but stop when I hear a musical like chuckle. Both Ric and I turn to see Bella smiling happily as she looks between us.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know that you two were a couple. You should have said. I wouldn't have minded you sharing a room."

Ric and I turn and look and each other and then back at her "What," Ric stutters shaking his head, "We're," he stutters again, but stops.

I throw my hand around him. "Come on Cookie, it's okay, she knows," I coo out and he looks at me with an open mouth. I blow him small kisses. It takes him almost a minute to react, leaping away from me.

He only manages to shake his head before declaring. "I have a girlfriend."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were the girl in this relationship," Bella say letting out a small snigger when Ric's mouth drops open.

"I….I have a girlfriend who happens to be a girl, Jenna," Ric tells Bella. He walks back into the house muttering that he's not the girl in any relationship.

"Does that mean it's over," I yell.

"Fuck off Damon," he yells back.

I start to laugh, looking at Bella shaking my head. "That was mean," I tell her as I throw my arm around her shoulder.

"You two do have a bro-mance going on"

"So what if we do?" I question to her but she just shrugs.

"I've texted Harry and Sue; they are on their way here." I give her a nod.

"You didn't want to go to La Push?"

"No, not ready for that."

She goes to walk away but I pull her back to me. "You have to talk to someone, keeping this locked inside is not a good thing." Bella's eyebrow's pull in and down. I push her hair back clasping her soft face in between my hand. I start to stroke her check with my thumb as her own hand covers mine.

"I know, I have been there, hurt angry; not wanting to face it. I ended up hurting more, and that's not talking about what I did to others." I sigh out, "I am not saying talk to me, but someone. Listen to a wise old man."

"Wise?" Bella questions.

"You question the wise but not the old?" I counter back at her.

"You are old, you're, what thirty?"

I glare at her playfully "No I'm twenty-four _young one._ "

"Okay," she says trying to pull away from me, but I keep a hold of her.

"You have not distracted me, and I am going to keep going on at you about talking to someone," I inform her; show her that I knew what she was up to and she failed.

I drop my hand when I hear Ric come near the front door. "Come on you two there are still loads to come out here." Ric says with a groan. "Have you packed bricks?" he asks Bella once the box is on the truck.

"No, books," Bella and I say together.

The three off us pack up the rest of the boxes Bella is taking with her. I did notice that it was mostly book, photos, and her drawings. She had barely a full suitcase of clothes which is something I will need to change, and there was just the one box that held her mother and father belongs she was keeping. It almost felt as if she was leaving everything behind.

"That's everything," Ric tells us as another car pulls up.

A man and a woman step out and walk towards us. The woman hugs Bella closely to her, "I'm sorry, I say they should have paid." She whispers, so low I am sure apart from Bella and I, no one else heard her. The man seems to follow the woman's lead and hugs Bella to him.

"I have left Charlie's fishing stuff I thought you and Billy could split it between you," Bella says, jumping right into what she thinks needs to be done.

"Everything that is going to goodwill is packed up...I have cleaned up, but if you could please do it again before the new chief moves in."

"I will," The woman-I now know is Sue says, holding back a sob.

"We should get going," I tell them. I know with the truck it is going to take us until dark to get half way. Bella yet again hugs Sue and then Harry. I walk her to the truck and help her in. I start her truck and it barks in to life. "Wow," I say smiling at her. "It's not as loud as what I thought would be."

I start to drive down the road, and look at the rear-view mirror to see that Ric is closely following me.

"Did you like living next to the forest?" I ask her seeing that the house was surrounded by it.

"I did, but that Jerk ruined it."

"Do tell?" I ask hating to see the sad look on her face.

Bella let's out a frustrated groan, "Edward took me into the woods to do the whole dumping thing," she blurts out. But, the sadness to her voice makes me look at her. "He told me that I wasn't good enough that," she stops and shakes her head. "He made a comment about me being deaf and just left me there alone in the fucking woods."

I wrap my hand around the steering wheel. This fucking douchebag left her in the wood, and what the hell did he say about her being deaf?

"I stupidly tried to follow him and got lost. About two hours into trying to find my way home, I tripped and fell, spraining my ankle. I was found six hours later by Sam-he lives in La Push. When I woke the next day, Charlie was mad as hell saying that he would have thought I ran off with Edward if it hadn't been for my letter." Bella stops and shake her head.

"You left a letter?" She shakes her head giving me a half grin.

"Edward-the jerk left my father a note in my hand writing saying that I went for a walk in the woods." Bella grunts as she shakes her head, but I can see she holds back tears. "Sam and some of the other boys who were looking for me came by a few times. I went to them in La Push; they helped me see that he didn't love me, that I should save my tears for someone that did and would love me. Wanting me just the way I am, including my faults. I didn't get what they meant, not fully, not until Renee and Charlie died. Now I wish I didn't lock them out." I thread my hand into her hair bring her head closer to me, and kissing the top of it.

"They are right; you'll find someone much better than constipation boy."

Bella snorts and then laughs as she shakes her head. "You have a way with words."

"That's just one of my many talents."

Bella giggles and shifts closer to me. "What is Mystic Falls like?"

"Small, boring," I tell her with a grin, making her raise just one of her eyebrows. I chuckle, "You'll soon see."

Bella hums, "Tell me it's sunny."

"It's sunny," I repeat to her.

"Forks, all it does is rain." I bob my head at her.

"Well... Mystic Falls is all sunshine and rainbows."

"Yeah," Bella mocks raising her hand, she looks behind us and I glance in the rear-view mirror to see that Ric is close to us.

"Has Alaric said much about me coming?" I look towards Bella and she looks panicked.

"He's not said very much, just talking about trying to help you; he's not sure how to help you." Bella sighs again.

"Do you think I am going to be too much for him, his mother just died, three-four months ago?"

I just look at her having not known this; my confused look makes her carry on talking. "Charlie kept in contact with her- after Isobel's funeral, and he was informed about her death, when they were trying to track Alaric."

I look back in the rear-view mirror and then to Bella. "He wants to help you. Coping with this is something he just has to get on with. I'll help; even give him a kick in his ass if needed."

Bella hums and lays her head on my shoulder. "I can take over driving if you get tired," she mumbles out. But, I know that she will be sleeping within a few minutes.

"I'm alright, just rest," I tell her. She hums and as I glance down at her I see her eyes flutter closed.

As her breathing slows down, I pull over. I carefully lay her head on my lap as I lean down getting the pillow and cover. I place the cover over her, and then lift her head placing the pillow under her head, then back on my lap. I then take off her hearing aid switching it off and place it in my pocket. As soon as she settled I start to drive again.

Bella has been sleeping peacefully for almost two hours, and I have been softly tapping the steering wheel with the hand that is holding it in time with the song that is playing on the radio. Bella's heart leaps in to override, before I can hush her she is sitting up screaming. It happened so suddenly that I swerved over the roads, coming to a stop on the grasses. I swallow, pulling her onto my lap.

"Damon, what the hell happened," Ric yells as he pulls open the door. "If there was an oncoming car she would have been killed" he hisses when I don't say anything to him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I started screaming," Bella says with a shaky voice.

Ric swallows and pulls at his hair, "Do you want to ride with me?"

"She's fine in here with me, I'll pay better attention." Ric just looks at me then to Bella.

I squeezed her arm as I turn my face to her. "Tell Ric you're okay so he'll go back to his car," I huff out.

Bella swallows picking up that she has failed to answer him.

"I'm fine Alaric."

"Let's keep going we can stop at a motel when we're half way," I say putting my usual smile on my face; trying not to show Ric or Bella just how unsettled that scream made me.

Ric swallows hard, but agrees walking back to the car. "Here," I say handing her, her hearing aid.

"Thank you," she whispered back putting it on. I look her over and she gives me a forced smile, and got to say I hate it.

I start the car and look back at her "Don't put on a mask-not with me, only smile if you feel like," I tell her harshly.

She tilts her head at me. "I agree only if you are the same, no bull shit. I want you to be who you are around me, no pretending to be anyone or thing, just you."

I swallow as I look at her, my eye's glance at the road quickly seeing that it's empty. "I'm a dick most people don't like me being me." I tell her truth.

"I am not like most people, and if you want me to be me then I need you to be you, the full dick."

I look at her given her a sly grin but she roll her eyes at me "Agreed?"

I chuckle, bobbing my head. "Agreed, Miss Bossy."

Bella and I seem to fall into comfortable silences; she is yet again sitting close to me, as my arm is lying behind her head. Her head is on the front of my shoulder and chest.

I pull into a motel just before ten at night. I get out and help Bella out. "We'll get the rooms if you get food," I dictate to Ric, having already taken Bella's hand leading her to the office.

"Hi," I grin at the woman behind the desk; she looks me over and smiles broadly as she puffs out her breast.

"Hello there handsome. What can I do for you?"

 _You could let me feed from you._ My inner evil mind chuckles, knowing full well I will be feeding from her. _You can't, you promised._ Ah there it is the voice in my head that strangely sounds just like my brother.

"I need a room, with three single beds," I tell hers

"Single beds?" she replies to me with a pout, her eyes flash away from me and land on Bella.

"I have a room that has two single beds and one that has a double? Would they do?"

I withhold my chuckle and nod my head at her.

"We'll take the room with the two single beds." I turn looking at Bella "Looks like we'll be sharing a bed." Bella give me a little nod but looks amused by the woman display.

"Maybe your sister would be more comfortable in a separate room," the woman turns again looking at Bella. "Wouldn't you dear?"

Bella tilts her head and just looks at the woman confused, she then starts talking using her hands. As I glance at the woman who now looks shocked,

"I'm sorry I didn't know she was deaf." She says sounding apologetic, but sad for her she keeps talking. "I don't think I could cope not hearing. She's pretty too, may be that will help her find someone." It takes everything I have not to kill her there on the very spot she standing on, "As soon as she is tucked in come find me and I'll show you the other room." I take the key from her and pull Bella out the office.

"What was that," I hiss out knowing full well she could hear what the woman was saying.

"She was acting if I wasn't there, and I really wish I wasn't. I wasn't expecting her to say all that. I just thought she would ask you to come and check out her girls." Bella sighs and she looks around before looking back at me. "besides worse has been said about me. At least she thinks I am pretty."

I snort, shaking my head at her "Didn't think you'd be the type of girl to be taken in by being called pretty."

"When you're the kind of girl that gets referred to as being plain, you take all the pretties when they are said to you."

"Who in the right mind would class you as plain?" I ask her leading her to the room.

"The list is so long it would take forever to get through it." I just hum.

"We have food," Ric say as he gets to us.

"I have a room," I say holding up key.

I open the door and we all walk in. "Damon there is only two beds?"

"Bella and I already agree on sharing a bed," I tell him, making him narrow his eyes at me.

"Damon, a word," he says through his teeth.

"Stay here and eat; we won't be long," I say to Bella following Ric back out the room.

"I am going to ask you again what is going on between you and Bella."

"And I'll tell you again, nothing!"

"Why are you sharing a bed with her?"

"You're her Uncle. You two sharing would be weird. I can try and get into her dream again, see if I could give her a nice calm one filled with fairies, unicorns and all things good."

Ric just give me an 'I am not amused look'.

"Look, I'm not going to molest your niece. If she asks me then that's a whole new ballpark and you may want your own room then." He grabs me by my neck and pushes me toward the wall.

"Hey," Bella yells moving to us. "This is not talking." Her eyes bounce between us as she talks. "And I'm pretty sure he was joking Alaric. I don't know whether to be upset over how badly you think of me, even if you don't know me. Or how badly you think of Damon, a guy you claim to be friends with. Lastly I'm pretty sure Damon could charm any girl into bed without the need to take advantage, or rape them."

"What, that's not what I was…" Bella shakes her head, cutting him off.

"That's what is sounded like to me. It sounds like you thought he would use my fragile mind to have his wicked way with me. If you thought that low of him then why are you friends?"

Ric swallows deeply and lets me go as he takes a huge step away from me.

"I'm sorry," he mutters to Bella who rolls her eyes. "As I said, you don't know me. So you thinking that I would jump into bed with a guy I just met, because he said a few nice things and we shared a bed, means jack shit to me. Damon on the other hand is someone that classes you as a friend."

As Bella walks away Ric just looks at me and chuckle. "Feel better now you seen she has some fire?" I ask him and he nods.

"Strangle yes, and I know you can't compel her, so."

He waves his hand towards the room, and I start walking there. "Apology accepted."

"I didn't apologize," Ric mutters behind me.

I go to say something back but Bella cut me off. "You two either have make up sex or shut up."

I snort as Ric just gasps at her.

All three of us sit down and eat. Bella then go's for a shower, giving me time for a quick feed.

"I'll be back," I say walking out before he can question me.

I walk in to the office grinning at the woman from before. "You came back," she husks out at me.

"I did," I say while giving her, my 'come to bed' with me eyes.

She picks up a key and walks to me swinging her hips. When she reaches me, she stands on her tip toes kissing me. I hold her head as I start making her walk backward. I pull away from her. "You're not going to scream; when I am done you'll forget about this."

She bobs her head and I smirk. I vamp, but just as I go to bite on her neck I hear someone outside at the truck. I turn looking to see that Bella seems searching for something.

"Humm, now that is an ass," some young guy says making his way to her, but she doesn't look back.

"Damn-it" I hiss.

"I wasn't here," I hiss to the woman running out. I get there just as the jerk is about to touch her.

"Put one hand on her and I'll rip your arm out of its socket and start hitting you with it," I growl to the guy making him just look at me.

Bella turns and jumps when she sees the guy and then looks at me. "Run," I hiss at the guy, who is stupidly just standing there. He backs away looking at me before turning and running.

"What the hell Isabella," I yell looking right at her. "What are you doing out here, and why do not have your hearing aid in?"

She just looks at me and then in the direction the guy fled in. "I forgot my book, and my hair's still wet. Water and my hearing aid don't mix."

I grab the book she came out for. "Interview with a Vampire?" I say aloud.

"It was a gift from Jake, and as everything else is packed away it is this or the hotel bible." I just hum at what she said. "What are you doing out here; thought you were off getting lucky?"

I raise my eyebrow at her and she rolls her eyes but looks right back at me. "You know, 'Miss what can I do for you?'" Bella says using a husked voice.

"Nah, not my type," I say holding out my hand.

"Your type is not easy? I thought that was every guy's type?" She asks as she takes my hand.

"Not tonight," I tell her and then walk with her back to our room.

"Hey," Alaric says looking up at us, with his cell still to his ear. I drop Bella's hand and walk to him, taking the cell from him.

"I got my sexy baby doll on," Jenna says making me chuckle darkly. "Damon, " she hisses.

"Yep the one and only," I reply as Ric tries in vain to get the cell off me.

"Were is Alaric?"

"He's busy getting beat on," I say before hanging up.

"What the hell are you doing," he yells at me as the cell rings again.

"Don't you dear me," I snarl at him and he glops looking at me. "What the hell were you thinking letting her go out in her jammies to her truck on her own!" He looks at me and then behind me to where Bella is standing.

"Damon," Bella says touching me."I-he was on the cell when I left."

"That's not the point. He's meant to be looking after you, not having phone sex while you are out in the car park alone. That guy could have raped you." The full time I spoke to Bella I kept my eyes locked on Ric just so he knows what could have happened.

His eyes fill with guilt and knowledge of what almost went down.

"Damon, look at me when you are talking to me," Bella says sounding hurt. I look around at her give her apological look.

"Get in bed," I tell her and drop Ric the cell that is still ringing on his lap.

"Hey Jenna, No I'm fine…No it was me," Ric mutters as I pick up my bag walking in to the bathroom.

I shower and change. When I walk back in to the room Ric is asleep and Bella is laying on the bed reading.

I walk to the bed, take the book from her, and place it down.

"What's the sign for 'hello'" Bella give me a look as if she asking 'what am I doing'. "I told you I would learn now what the sing for 'hello'."

"Hello" she say hold her hand to her head and then taking away turning it a little, "Like a salute". I copy her movements and she gives me a nod.

"Bye," I ask?

She takes her hand to the side of her head, and bring her finger down, "Bye," she says as she does the sign and I copy her.

"Damon."

"D, A, M, O, N" she say signing each of the letters.

"Bella."

She again takes me through each of the letters and I copy her.

"Vampire," I ask with a smirk.

Bella take two of her fingers and taps her neck.

We spend an hour going through the more common used words.

I take hold of Bella and bring her so that her head is on my chest. She sighs softly and seems to drifts quickly to sleep.

We have been back out on the road and are approaching Mystic Falls. As I have been driving, I have been asking Bella to show me more sign language.

"You need to change the expression on your face when you sign," she tells me, making me turn full to her.

"Why?"

"This only gives me a little hearing," she tells me as she taps her hearing aid. "I have to look at your lips, your eyes and face to get the meaning and tone of your words." She hums and then takes her cell out of her pocket.

"Like a song, when you read the word, you can understand them, but when you hear the music with it, the melody can change what the word means, why they are being said, and what they mean."

Music starts to play and I look to Bella to see she is signing along with it. As she signs, it goes right to my heart, every word she signs shows almost as much emotion as the song itself does.

"That was beautiful," I smile; despite the fact the song that just played was sad.

Bella clears her throat and looks out the window.

"We're here," Bella says as we pass the Mystic Falls sign post.

"We are," I grin back at her, shaking off the sadness.

As I drive closer to Ric's home Bella starts to breathe deeply. "You'll be fine, Jenna, Elena and Jeremy are all very- _sweet,_ I'm sure the make you feel welcome."

"I know, but…I don't like people hovering around me, asking questions. I would rather sit in the back and watch them."

"Ah, not a fan of attention?" She shakes her head and I pull outside Ric's home just as Stefan, and Elena come out looking a little shocked at the truck.

"Think the truck gives us away?" Bella asks looking at me; I chuckle and bob my head jumping out.

"Did you miss me, kids?" I ask walking around to Bella's side of the truck. "Don't just stand there, there are boxes to get in the house," I carry on as I open her door.

"Come on, it's only Stefan that bites," I joke to her, and ignore the grumble that came from Stefan.

"Here goes nothing," Bella replies, jumping out.

"Hi," Elena says with a smile. "I'm Elena," she carries on, sticking her hand out.

"Bella," Bella replies taking her hand shaking it.

"Elena, why don't you take Bella inside and we'll get the boxes?" Stefan says smiling.

"They are my boxes, I should help," Bella replies walking to the back of the truck.

"It's alright," Elena says taking Bella's hand guiding her into the house.

"We had some problems, with the tomb Vampire's. Pearl is now on the counsel." I just hum picking up one of the boxes. "Jeremy was seeing her daughter Anna, but she told John and Elena to keep him away or she would kill him. He's now asking questions."

"Great," I smile, I was not even away for a week and they couldn't keep things under control!

 **That's them back in Mystic Fall's. How do think the rest of the gang will take to Bella?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank again to my beta's**

 **I am not worthy**

 **Chapter 6**

"I'll take this up to her room," I say walking up the stairs.

"She's got Jeremy's room," Jenna calls after me.

"Why have I got his room?" Bella asks sounding panicked.

"This way you get to share a bathroom with Elena, and I get the down stair's one, no more waiting to get in the bathroom," Jeremy jokes out.

I look around Jeremy's room seeing it has been cleared out. I place the box at the far wall; _she's going to need bookcase in here. It could also do with a repaint, It's too dull, may be new curtains…._

"I'll put the other box in Jenna's and my room," Ric whisper's bringing me out of my mental thinking about what the room need's done.

I give him a quick nod and turn just in time to see Elena and Jeremy has led Bella in to the room

"Feel free to repaint if you want," Jenna tells Bella softly, as she hugs Ric, he kiss the side of Jenna head and walk's back out the room with Jeremy.

"No, it's fine," Bella tells her quickly. My eyes land on her and almost right away she looks my way. I send her a silent message saying that I will be right back, when she nods her head, I know she got it.

"Is this all she brought?" Jeremy asks aloud as we get back to the truck.

"Yes," I answer quickly, taking a hold of her suitcase, taking it upstairs.

"Bella honey, I have dinner already, why don't we leave the unpacking until later," Jenna says softly as I reach Bella room.

"Okay," she replies and looks to me "You are staying, Right?" she asks almost sounding as if she is pleading me to say yes.

"You want him to stay?" Elena blurts out sounding shocked.

Bella turns and just looks at her, frowning. "If you need to get home and deal with your family, I understand." She carries on as she looks back at me.

"Stefan is my family and he is here," I tell her with a grin.

"The one that bites?" I chuckle and bob my head at her.

"Do I have time to get freshened up?" Bella asks as she direct her attention to Jenna.

"Yes," Jenna say open the bathroom door for Bella. As Bella walks in to the bath room, we all walk out heading back down stairs.

"You compelled her," Elena yells at me in disgust.

"No, apparently she can't be compelled," Ric answers Elena as she glares at me.

I have to hold off a snort. She thinks this scares me? I give Elena one of my lighter glares and almost right away her heart rate spikes, but she seem to stand her ground.

"I see you're back," John says walking in.

Elena sighs and uses this to look away from me.

"Alaric," he carries on smugly.

"John," Ric and I say at the same time.

"I don't think it's a good idea that you are staying here," Ric carries on in a harsh tone.

"My family is here," John hiss back, but a snort makes me look to the stairs to see Bella coming down them.

"Hi, I am John."

"I know who you are, we have met before," Bella replies with a smile; but John just looks at her. "It was four years ago; this past summer."

John glops and takes a step away from Bella, and looks at Alaric then back at her.

"That's right, you have got a good memory," he smiles at her.

"One does not forget when one meets a jackass," Bella says making me chuckle. I glance at Ric who is holding back his own chuckle.

"Aren't you funny girl!"

"Me, I am hilarious," John face drops and narrows his eyes at her.

"You were deaf the last time we meet."

Bella closes her eyes, looks at me and then to John "Still am, John. I have a hearing aid, didn't your brother tell you he performed sugary on me?"

"You're deaf?" Ric yells, making Bella look at him.

"And it starts," Bella mumbles as she looks my way.

"You knew?" Ric yells but he's now looking at me "Why didn't you tell me?"

Bella bangs her hand down on the table making everyone look at her. "Firstly I asked him not to say anything. If you're going to yell at anyone then it should be me, or John." Bella say looking at John with disgust. "Yes, I am deaf, but I have a cochlear hearing aid that lets me hear-somewhat. For what I can't hear I can lip read. Can we now have dinner?"

"Yes," I say taking her hand leading her to the kitchen, I help her to sit at the table, and move to see what Jenna has cooked. The first thing I notice is that it has in fact been Stefan that cooked, the second is that Ric has failed to inform them over the fact Bella is a vegetarian.

I start moving around the kitchen to see what she can eat.

"Why didn't you say something?" Ric say but his words are much slower.

"She's not stupid Ric, speak normal to her, and why didn't you inform Jenna that Bella is a vegetarian"

"She is?" Jenna asks with a frustrated sigh.

"I forgot," Ric says looking between me and Jenna.

"Stef, if you put out diner for everyone I can throw something for Bella on."

"There's no need" Bella say standing and I push her back down.

"You're eating," I say harshly to her.

"Fine, but could you tell John to quite staring at me, I feel like I am in the freaking zoo."

My eyes glance at John to see he is indeed staring at Bella.

"Stop staring at her," I yell, but I am surprised that Ric and Elena both join me.

"You look a lot like Elena," John says accusingly.

"She's my cousin of course she looks like me," Elena quickly replies.

"I know that, I am just surprised how much she looks like you." John says trying to appeal to Elena.

"Here you are Jenna, Elena," Stefan says placing their plates in front of them, a few second later he takes Jeremy and Ric theirs, before going and getting his and John's.

By the time he is sitting with his own I have finished making Bella some pasta with mushroom, and cheese sauce.

"Here you go, and I want you to eat it all." I say putting it down in front of her, and then take the seat on her right.

"I'm taking you're the town's food police?"

I just look at her but before I can speak John is once again talking to her as if he is accusing her of something "You seem to be getting on with Damon?"

"Why wouldn't I get on with my Uncle's friend?" Bella counters making John just hum.

"What do you do Jenna?" Bella asks directing her attention to Jenna.

I am not sure if the fact she just found out Bella is deaf or how uncomfortable John is making this dinner, but Jenna seems to take a good few minutes before shyly answering Bella. "I work at the grill, but I am also going to night classes."

"What are you studying?" Bella asks

"Psychology."

"Nice," Bella says with a head nod.

Bella eats a little but everyone seems to be still looking her way.

"School, what year is every one in?" Bella ask, with a small sigh, and I know she is trying hard to deflect the attention.

"Stefan and Elena are seniors. Jeremy is a junior, same as you," Ric answers.

"What about you John what do you do?" Bella asks looking at him.

John seems to sigh before answering Bella. "I'm on the council".

"The council, what do you do?"

"Towns stuff, not for teens," he answers her snappily, and she looks at me with wide eyes. She lifts her hand to her mouth and moves it quickly, while whispering "jackass," making me and Stefan who also heard her laugh.

"Bella, I would prefer if you didn't call me names in sign."

"I would prefer you to stop breathing," I hiss back at him getting pissed at him snapping at Bella.

"Why don't you make me?" John says channelling me.

I stand up, but Bella's hand grabs my arm and pulls me back down.

She just looks at me giving a clear no with her eyes. Ric clears his throat. "Jenna's already been to the school, you start on Tuesday." Ric stops and tilt his head. "Will I need to make any arrangements?"

"No arrangement needed other than the teacher's being aware, more so the gym teacher as I won't be able to wear my hearing aid doing some of the high physical classes."

Ric bobs his head at her "Okay, I will make sure they are informed, and get your class schedule when I am there tomorrow."

I hear a beeping sound and look at Bella, "What's that?" I ask.

"My hearing aid needs to be charged," she says moving her hair that covers it and takes it off. She leans over putting it in my pocket. "Don't leave with that in there."

Ric just looks a little shocked at her whole display.

"Will I be able to take my truck to school?" Bella asks.

"No," John yells and I growl, but he just looks at me and start talking again. "She can't drive she's deaf."

"John one's ability to press peddles, and turn a wheel is not depended on one's ability to hear. Besides Charlie made me take the police driven test."

"How did she know what I said?" John asks glaring at Bella.

"As I have said, I can lip read, and please stop acting as if I am not in the room."

"John will you just stop," Elena pleads to him.

She looks at Bella and seems so unsure, I touch Bella's arm, and she looks at me. My eye moves to Elena and Bella follows my movement.

"I am so sorry about him. Just ignore him, I do," Elena says sounding guilty, but I am impressed that she is the first to just speak to Bella the way she normally talks.

"It's fine Elena, you're not responsible for your dad's behaviour." As soon as she says 'dad's' my head snap around to her "this is not on yo…u" Bella seem to say the word you slowly and I am sure it because Elena's face has pales.

I hear her glop and her heart rate takes off, as she gets increasingly nervous. "You did know that he is you father right?" Bella pleads, but Elena shakes her head. "But you knew Isobel was you mom?" Bella question, and this time Elena nods her head and looks at John.

"Is it true?" Elena asks John, but my eyes stay on Bella who seems to be almost trying to crawl in to herself.

"Is it true," Elena yells this time standing up.

I slide my hand on to Bella's knee squeezing it.

"Yes, I was going to tell…"

Elena cut John off by moving around the table "Elena let me…" again she cut him off only this time she slaps him hard across the face and then runs out.

"Elena," Stefan yells moving quickly after her

"Thanks," John yells throwing his fork toward Bella. Lucky for him he decides to leave the table.

The rest of us seem to sit in shock, Ric is the first to break the silences. "That's it, he is not staying here," he says pointing at Jenna and then stomps off.

"I'll go and check on Elena," Jenna sighs out leaving the table.

"That was the most interesting dinner we've had in days, good to have you back Damon," Jeremy says while chuckling. But, I can see the worry on his face for Elena. "I've got some homework to get done. It was nice to meet you Bella. If you need me I am just across the hall way from you."

"Nice to meet you too, Jeremy. And I am so sorry." he shakes his head at her.

"This is on him; he knew that she knew she was adopted and looking for her father still. He should have said something." He taps Bella's shoulder and walk out the kitchen.

"I sure know how to end a diner party."

I chuckle gently as my hand rubs her back. "Not your fault."

Bella just looks at me. "I should have just kept my mouth shut. Any other secrets that no one knows, tell me and I'll make sure the find out in the most horrible way."

I sigh just looking at her

"You think Elena will be okay?"

I shrug and then bob my head. "Stefan will take care of her." Bella hums and stand up.

"I'll wash you dry," she says as she starts to pick up the plates.

I nod and help carry the plate's in. "What did you mean when you said Grayson did sugary on you?"

"He's the one that put in my cochlear."

I frown as I look her. "Wasn't he just a doctor?" I question to her.

"Yes and no." she sighs "It started a few years before my surgery, Grayson was doing some tests," she says waving her hand. "He had this idea he could cure deafness, blindness. Anyway, as he knew about me being deaf, he got in contact with Renee and asked if he could test it out on me." Bella rolls her eyes. "All it did was gives me headaches and nightmares. Charlie found out and flipped, as it had never been used on anyone before this, and the tests were stopped. A few years later I was approved of the cochlear and for whatever reason, Renee asked Grayson to be there."

I tilt my head and then shake. "Strange." Bella bobs her head at me.

"Charlie was not happy," she stops and looks at me "He came here to have it out with Grayson. Not sure what happened, but Carol brought him home, and from what I overheard," she says with a point to her eyes "That it was thanks to Carols husband Charlie kept his job"

"Carol?" I ask

"She was a joint friend of Isobel and Charlie she lives here. Carol Lockwood, her husband the Mayor, if I'm right."

I hum. "Why wasn't she there, at the funeral?"

"She called, left a message with Billy-Charlie's friend from La Push, something about her son, having problems at school." Bella shrugs.

I hum and start drying the dish that Bella seems to be washing by hand.

"You know there is a dish washer?" I say as I show her it, she looks at it and then to me and shrugs her shoulders.

"So, what do you do?" Bella ask looking at me.

"I'm on the council," I chuckle out.

"Oh the council the same one this teen is not to know?"

"That's right, let just say I keep the town safe."

"Safe from what? Getting too energetic?"

I snort but bob my head.

The front door opens and my eyes glance over to see Elena coming back in with Stefan.

"I hate him Stefan, how can he be my father?"

"I am so sorry Elena," Bella say walking to her. "I would never have said anything if I had known you didn't know."

Elena bobs her head, but pulls her eyebrows down. "How did you know?" she asks.

"Charlie had commented about him to Isobel the last time they met." Elena's hand goes to her forehead as she rubs it.

"You knew Isobel?" Elena asks shyly, and Bella nods her head,

"What was she like?"

"That's hard to put in to one word. I know she liked to study and to read. She was determined-If there was something she wanted she usually-always got it. That included men too, sadly. She loved men-loved them loving her, just a shame she never returned her own heart to any of them-not fully anyway."

As Bella spoke my eyes flash to Stefan and he too seems to hear the likeness of Isobel and Katherine.

"Did she talk about me?" Elena asks.

"No, I'm sorry she didn't. But she never talked about anything real. And she wouldn't know how to tell the truth, even if her life depended on it. She could be sweet, loving, but when the going got tough, she only thought about herself."

Elena sighs but she bobs her head, "Thanks."

Bella nods and looks at me, "I'm going to Jeremy-I mean my room," I watch her walk off.

"I better give her, her hearing aid"

As I spoke Stefan just gives me a look to say he is irritated with me.

I walk in and jump on her bed as she starts putting her things away.

" _She seems nice,"_ Elena whispers to Stefan

"Yeah she does."

" _Come on, even Damon seems taken with her, and when is he ever taken with anyone?"_ Elena carries on but Stefan just sighs.

" _I just hope he has been nice to her for the right reasons."_

I roll my eyes over Stefan thinking everything I do is because of Elena.

"Damon," Bella say hit my leg "Can I please get my hearing aid?" I chuckle and hand to her.

"Sorry Firecracker, I must have dazed of there."

Bella rolls her eyes and takes the hearing aid from me.

"So," I ask looking at her. "What do we do about this," I say looking around the room in disgust.

"Nothing," Bella replies and I roll my eyes.

"You need to do something, it's dull, lifeless."

"Fine paint away," Bella says as she put her things in the chest-of-drawer set. I walk behind her and her eyes seem to flicker to the mirror just as I place my hand on her she jumps back, as her heart rate takes off.

"Bella," I say softly, but as her eyes are closed she can't see my lips move.

"Bella," I say again this time touching her face, her eyes open and I can see she has tears in them

"Sorry, just," She stops as she looks at the mirror. "Think they did a number on me." She stops again and turns to look at me. "It was five days I was with them; Charlie had the long weekend off, so no one knew, not till right after they killed him, when he failed to call Billy back."

The pain of her words hit me hard; it was bad enough thinking she was with whoever did this for a few hours, but days? "Why haven't you said anything?"

"I am having a hard time thinking about what really happened and what my mind made up, just all jumble in there- I just" she sigh again. "I don't know what I am trying to tell you." She groans clearly frustrated about everything. I pull her in to my arms, holding her close.

"Damon, Jenna wants to lock up," Stefan says and I give him a nod, and kiss Bella's head.

"I have to go," I tell her. "Give me your cell and I'll put my number in to it."

Bella hands me her cell and I quickly add all of my number's including Stefan's cell number before texting my own one so that I had hers.

"I'll come by tomorrow, show you the town." Bella smiles as she bobs her head.

"Thank you, for everything you have done for me these past few days"

I grin and wink at her.

"Come on Stefan, let's get you home to bed"

"What are you playing at Damon?" Stefan yells as soon as we walk into our house.

I roll my eyes at him, walking away, but he comes after me pushing me agents the wall. "You using this girl's grief to get Elena; you see something other than a monster?"

I narrow my eyes as I push us away from the wall landing him hard against another.

"That's not what I am doing."

"I know you Damon," he hisses out.

"When are you going to see you don't know me, not even half as well, as you think you do?" I let him go walking away.

"Damon, if you use her and then leave her, I don't think she will be able to come back from that," Stefan calls after me.

"You are wrong brother," I tell him and turn to him. "That girl-Bella she's a fighter, she fought whoever did that to her, to her parents and won."

Stefan shakes his head at me. "Just because she's alive doesn't mean she won, you should know that.

I turn back around speeding up to my room.

I get showered and lay on my back in bed, with my eyes closed. I sigh out and flip on to my front.

After a few minutes have passed and I am still not asleep I groan. I slow my heart rate and breath down, hoping I can calm whatever it is that has unsettled me.

My eyes spring open and I get dressed again. I move to my window and leap out changing in to my bird form in mid-air.

I am surprised when I land in Bella bedroom window, before I can dwell on why I am here, her heart starts to take off. Before she can scream, I am in her room moving myself under her.

"Hush," I whisper, and then start to hum as I rub my hand through her hair.

It only takes a few minutes before her heart rate is back to a slow beat. "Well done Baby," I whisper to her as I place a kiss on her forehead. I smile a little feeling much more relaxed, my eyes roll closed and before I can think of a reason not to I am asleep.

A bright flash and a vibration, wake me up, as my eyes dart around the room, they catch Bella's alarm which is going off. "Shit," I hiss as her heart goes up, as she moves more. Knowing that she is waking up, I softly but quickly flee from under her and out the window back in my crow form.

"Damon?" Bella calls and she sit up looking around the room.

She shake her head and lies back down, I have to hold my chuckle when she sniffs the pillow I was laying my head on.

"Must have been from when he was there last night," She mutters aloud making me tilt my head.

Bella moves out of her bed and to the window I am at, her eyes go down to meets me.

"HI," she smiles at me.

She moves away and in to the bathroom. As the door is a little open I can see her moving around. After she takes care of her morning need, she switches on the shower.

Unlike Elena, Bella is out of the shower after only a short time; she starts to blow dries her hair, just as the shower comes back on.

Just like she told me, she spends a lot of time drying her hair. As she pick out her clothes I know she is going to get dressed, I fly to the nearby tree to give her some privacy, and then back down to the window when I hear moving around again.

Bella fixes her hearing aid on, and then moves her hair around to hide it.

"Moring," Elena says walking in to the room.

"Morning." Bella replies only having glancing at Elena.

"Did you sleep well?"

"I did, did you?"

Elena bobs her head. "Look Bella if you need someone to talk to, I am here. I lost my parents five months ago, so I know a little about what you are feeling."

"Thank you Elena, I'll keep that in mind," Bella says and hugs Elena to her. "I am sorry about your mom and dad. My dad would have come to the funeral, but I had broken my leg, and he was dealing with that."

Elena bobs her head her eyes look around and land on me, she give me a displeased look. Then wave her hand as though she is shooing me away. "Go," she hisses.

"Elena, leave it." Bella say as she comes up to the window,

"It's a crow they mean death."

"That's not true," Bella says softly as she glances back at me. "The crow is a spirit animal associated with life mysteries and magic. The power of this bird as totem and spirit guide is to provide insight and means of supporting intentions. It's a sign of luck; it is also associated with the archetype of the trickster." Bella thinks for a few seconds before looking at Elena. "Warning to be aware of deceiving appearances. But, when a crow has chosen you as your spirit or totem animal, it supports you in developing the power of sight, transformation, and connection with life's magic."

"That sound quite sweet," Elena says giving me the evil eye.

"Hey, don't upset him, I love crows, it's one of my top three animals."

"Oh what are you other two?"

"Wolf's" Bella say smiling looking back toward me. "And of course your cousin, the raven."

I squawk making Elena just hum. "Come on breakfast time," Elena clasps Bella hand and I watch them walk out.

 **She has met some of the gang, and has meet John before…..So do think the rest will take to her? Are you worried like Stefan is about why Damon been nice to her?**


End file.
